First Seformed Church 



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£V 




Class F \%.'^ 

Book— J'_?L12. 



ANNIVERSARY DISCOURSE 



AND 



HISTORY 



OF THE 



First Hefomed Church 



OF POUGHKEEPSIE. 



BY THE PASTOR, 



REV. A. p. VAN GIESON, D.D. 




PUBLISHED BY REQUEST OF THE CONSISTORY. 

POUGHKEEPSIE. 

1893. 



POUGHKEEPSIE, N. T. 

PRESS OE A. V. HAI&HT, 

12 LIBERTY ST. 



3 5 <§ Cf 7 



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CONTENTS. 



TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY. 

PAGE. 

ORDER OP SERVICES, '7 

ANNIVERSARY DISCOURSE, 13 

HISTORY OF THE CHURCH. 

ORGANIZATION, 31 

INCORPORATION, 31 

SEAL 33 

UNION WITH CHURCH OP FISHKILL, 34 

SUCCESSION OF MINISTERS. 

Cornelius Van Schie, 35 

Benjamin Meynema, 46 

Jacobus Van Nist, . .• 54 

Henricus Schoonmaker, "55 

Isaac Rysdyck, ^" 

Stephen Van Voorhees, 64 

Solomon Froeligh, 6^ 

.John H. Livingston, "''' 

Andrew Gray, "^ 

Cornelius Brower, "^ 

Cornelius C, Cuyler, "^^ 

Samuel A. Van Vranken, '^'^ 

Alexander M. Mann, '^3 

George M. McEckron, '^^ 

A. P. Van Gieson, ^^ 

SUCCESSION OF ELDERS AND DEACONS, .... 76 

SUNDAY SCHOOL, 83 



iv Twenty-fifth Annimrsary. 

PAGE. 

EDIFICES FOR WORSHIP. 

First Edifice, 84 

Second Edifice, 91 

Third Edifice, 94 

Fourth Edifice, 98 

PARSONAGES. 

First Parsonage, 101 

Second Parsonage, 104 

Third Parsonage, 106 

LANGUAGE, 107 

FORMATION OF SECOND CHURCH OF POUGHKEEPSIE, • 109 
MISCELLANEA. 

Armen Kas and Armen Gelt, 113 

Palls, 115 

Subscribers for Call to Holland, 116 

First Things. 

First Baptism, 119 

First Marriage, 119 

First Receipt for Salary, 120 

Seats in First Edifice, . . * 121 

Deed Conveying First Property, 132 

CHRONOLOGICAL CONSPECTUS, 15^4 

PRESENT ORGANIZATION, 127 



Twenty-five years having elapsed since the installation 
of the Rev. A. P. Van Gieson, D.D., as pastor of the 
First Reformed Church of Poughkeepsie, on the morning 
of Sunday, October 16, 1892, services were held in the 
church according to the order recorded on the pages 
immediately following. The congregation of the Second 
Reformed Church of Poughkeepsie manifested their 
fraternal affection by omitting their own service in the 
morning, and uniting in worship with the congregation 
of the First Reformed Church. The Rev. William 
Bancroft Hill, the pastor of the Second Church, was in 
the pulpit with the pastor of the First Church, and took 
part in the conduct of the services. 



ORDER OF SERVICE. 



October 16, 1892. 

Anthem, . . . . . Te Deum. 

Invocation and Loed's Prayer. 

Hymn. 

Holy, holy, holy. Lord God Almighty ! 

The Reading of the Law. 

Responsive Reading (Congregation standing). 

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. 

Serve the Lord with gladness ; come before His presence 

with singing. 
Know ye that the Lord He is God ; it is He that hath 

made us, and not we ourselves ; 
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His 

courts with praise ; 
Be thankful unto Him, and Mess His name. 
For the Lord is good ; His mercy is everlasting ; 
And His truth endureth to all generations. 
I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the 

house of the Lord. 
Our feet shall stand within thy gates, Jerusalem. 
Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together. 
Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the 

testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of 

the Lord. 



8 Twenty-fifth Anniversary . 

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem ; they shall prosper that 

love thee. 
Peace he luithin thy tualls, and prosperity within thy 

palaces. 
For my brethren and companions' sakes I will now say, 

Peace be within thee. 
Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy 

good. 
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to 

dwell together in unity. 
By this shall all men hnoio that ye are my disciples if ye 

have love one to anotlier. 
God be merciful unto us, and bless ns ; and cause His face 

to shine upon us. 
TJiat thy way may be hnotvn upon earth, thy saving health 

among all nations. 
Let the people praise thee, God ; let all the people 

praise thee. 
0, let the nations he glad and sing for joy. 
For thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern 

the nations upon earth. 

Apostles' Creed — (Congregation standing). 

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven 
and earth ; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord ; 
who was conceived by the Holy Ghost ; born of the Virgin 
Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate ; was crucified, dead, 
and buried ; He descended into hell ; the third day He rose 
again from the dead ; He ascended into Heaven, and 
sitteth upon the right hand of God the Father Almighty ; 
from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the 
dead. 

I believe in the Holy Ghost ; the Holy Catholic Church, 
the Communion of Saints ; the forgiveness of sins ; the 
resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. 

Gloria Patri. 
Scripture Lessons. 
Gloria ts Excelsis. 
Prayer. 

Hymn — (Congregation standing). 
Come, thou Almighty King ! 



Order of Service. 9 

Sermon. 
Prayer. 

Offerings— Offertory. 

" How beautiful are the feet." 
Hymn— (Congregation standing). 

From all that dwell below the skies. 

doxology. 

Benediction. 

SUNDAY ETEKmG. 

On Sunday evening the pews on the ground floor of 
the audience room were occupied by the Sunday School 
and the Young People's Alliance, and services were held 
in accordance with the following order : 

Anthem. 

Invocation. 

Hymn. 

Stand up ! Stand up for Jesus ! 

Scripture Lesson. 
Prayer. 

Hymn. 

Praise Him ! Praise Him ! Jesus our blessed Kedeemer. 

Address by Mr. J. Elting Deyo, President of the 
Young People's Alliance. 

Hymn. 

To God who claims our highest praise. 

Address by Mr. Chester A. George, Assistant Su- 
perintendent of the Sunday School.* 

* Milton A Fowler Esq., the Superintendent of the Sunday School was 
unavoidably absent, greatly' to his regret and that of the congregation. 



10 Twenty-fifth Annitiersary. 

Hymn^. 

Onward, Christian Soldiers ! 

Address, by Rev. Philip W. Pitcher. 

Hymn. 

All hail the power of Jesus' name ! 

Benediction. 



MONDAY AFTEEIsrOON. 

On Monday afternoon services were lield as follows : 
Rev. William Bancroft Hill, presiding. 

Anthem. 

I will magnify thee, Lord. 
Reading of Scripture, by Rev. Wayland Spaulding. 
Prayer, by Rev. C. H. Snedeker. 
Reading, by Rev. Ernest Clapp, 

Of letters congratulatory from the Washington Street 
Methodist Episcopal Church, Rev. J. Elmendorf, 
D.D., Rev. Henry L. Ziegenfnss, D.D., Right Rev. 
Boyd Vincent, D.D., Rev. Prof. T. S. Doolittle, 
D.D., Rev. Prof. D. D. Demarest, D.D., Rev. Henry 
N. Cobb, D.D., Rev. Paul D. Van Cleef, D.D. 

Addresses Congratulatory, by 

Rev. Wm. Bancroft Hill, pastor of the Second 
Reformed Church of Poughkeepsie. 

Rev. David J. Burrell, D.D., pastor of the CoUegiata 
Reformed Church of New York. 

Mr. Daniel R. Thompson, member of Consistory. 

Rev. Francis B. Wheeler, D.D., pastor of the Pres- 
byterian Church of Poughkeepsie. 



Order of Sermce. 11 

Rev. James Nilan, D.D., pastor of St. Peter's Church 
of Poughkeepsie. 

Rev. Benjamin E. Dickhout, pastor of the Reformed 
Church of Fishkill Yillage. 

Rev. Charles W. Fritts, D.D., pastor of the Re- 
formed Church of Fishkill on the Hudson. 

Anthem. 

Hear us, Father. 

Address, by Rev. J. G. Van Slyke, D.D., pastor of the 
First Reformed Church of Kingston. 

Brief Response, by Rev. A. P. Van Gieson, D.D. 

Solo. 

My heart be ever faithful. 

Benediction. 



MOI^DAY EYE^II^G. 

On Monday evening a reception was given by the ladies 
in the Lecture Room, at which a "Loving Cup" of 
silver was presented to the pastor. The presentation 
address was delivered by Rev. Denis Wortman, D.D., 
pastor of the Reformed Church of Saugerties, and was 
responded to by the pastor. The inscription on the cup 
is as follows : 

PKESENTED TO THE 

EEV. A. P. VAN GIESON, D.D., 

ON THE COMPLETION OF THE 

TWENTY-FIFTH YEAR OF HIS PASTORATE, 

BY THE 

FiKST Keformed Church of Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 
Oct. 17, 1892. 



DISCOURSE. 



II Cor. 4:5, " For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus 
the Lord ; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." 

Thus does the Apostle Paul declare the substance of 
his preaching and the relation which he sustained to 
those to whom he preached. 

The substance of his preaching is presented first, nega- 
tively. " We preach not ourselves." I am not seeking 
to make myself conspicuous, to display my own gifts, 
oratorical or otherwise, to win favor for myself, or to 
advance my own personal interests, in any way whatso- 
ever. 

Then is added, positively; "We preach Christ Jesus 
the Lord." All thought of self is swallowed up and lost 
in thought of Him. My sole aim is to make Him con- 
spicuous, to display His beauty and majesty and saving 
power, to win favor for Him, and to advance the interests 
of His kingdom in the world. 

Note that, according to the apostle's own representa- 
tion, the substance of his preaching was, primarily, not 
doctrine, but a person. He knew that doctrine, however 
true and logically constructed it might be, could not 
save men, and that, if saved at all, they must be saved 
by a living Person ; even the Lord Jesus Christ, putting 
forth for them and upon them His own personal power, 
and doing for them what they were unable to do for 
themselves. All the doctrine that is contained in the 
epistles of Paul (and, as we all know, there is a great 
deal of it, and some of it not easy to be understood) was 



14 Twenty-fifth Annimrsary. 

put there by him in order that it might be as a pedestal 
on which the personal Christ might be exalted, and as a 
glass through which the personal Christ might be 
viewed. That living personal Christ he adored with 
an adoration scarcely if at all inferior to that of the 
angels. Him he loved, with a love so intense that it set 
on fire his whole being. In and for Him he lived, and 
for Him lie was ready, if need be, to die. Living in and 
for Him, he had found true life, the only life that is fit 
for a man to live ; and therefore he preached Him ; that 
living, personal Christ ; made it his whole business to 
tell others about Him, in order tliat others might be 
drawn to Him, and so become partakers of the same 
glorious and eternal life. In these letters to his Corin- 
thian brethren he tells them, not only that he preached 
Christ Jesus the Lord, but also that he was determined 
to know nothing among them save Jesus Christ and Him 
crucified. 

Such was the substance of his preaching. Then follows 
his conception of the relation sustained by him to those 
to whom he preached. " And ourselves your servants 
for Jesus' sake." The Apostle had learned that the only 
true nobility lies in service ; according to the word of 
the Master, " Whosoever will be great among you let 
him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief 
among you let him be your servant." In learning and 
practising that lesson he had come into a blessed fellow- 
ship with Christ, for Christ himself took upon him the 
form of a servant and in order to serve sinful men 
humbled Himself even to the death of the cross. In 
learning and practising that lesson, the apostle rendered 
acceptable service to Christ. Elsewhere he calls himself 
" Servant of Jesus Christ," but he remembered, as it 
becomes us all to remember, that it is impossible for us 
to serve Christ directly. Exalted as He is at the right 



Discourse. 15 

hand of the Majesty on high, He is above the need, and 
beyond the reach, of any direct service from us his 
creatures. The only way in wliich it is possible for us to 
render service to Him is that of indirection ; by serving 
men whom He loves, and for whom He died ; and, to 
stimulate us to such service. He has said, " Inasmuch as 
ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my 
brethren, ye have done it unto me." Therefore, the 
apostle served Christ by serving men. As one called to 
the ministry of the Gospel he served men in the highest 
things ; those which appertain to eternal life. To that 
service he devoted all his energies. In it, like his Master 
before him, he " emptied himself " ; through long years 
of self-sacrificing toil and hardship and peril, first pour- 
ed out, without stint, the strength of life, and finally, 
beneath the headsman's axe outside the walls of Rome, 
poured out life itself. 

Thus did the great apostle exemplify in his own person 
his lofty conception of the ideal minister of the Gospel. 
As I stand here at the close of twenty-five years of 
ministry among you, I feel, more deeply than any of you 
can feel, how far I have fallen short of that ideal. For 
that I humble myself before you, and still more before 
God. 

But nevertheless, standing consciously in the presence 
of Him who searcheth the hearts and trietli the reins of 
the children of men, I can and do say with all honesty, 
that I have ever and earnestly striven towards that ideal ; 
and that, knowing that I have no sufficiency in myself, I 
have ever and earnestly sought sufficiency from God. 
You will bear me witness that I have preached not 
myself but Christ Jesus the Lord ; not, indeed, as the 
apostle did, for I have not his gifts of eloquence and 
inspiration ;— but to the best of the poor ability which 
God has given me. Christ Jesus the Lord is to me the 



16 Twenty -fifth Anniversary. 

chiefest among ten thousand and the one altogether 
lovely, the Son of God, the Revealer of the Father, the 
only and all-sufficient Saviour of sinful men, the Found- 
ation of my most precious hope, the Source of my 
sweetest joy, the very Life of my life, the most glorious 
and most loveable Being in the whole universe ; and you 
will bear me witness, that, whatever else I may have 
failed to do, 1 have not failed to do my very uttermost, 
with God's help, to exalt Him before you, and to shew 
forth and magnify before you His majesty, and beauty, 
and atoning love, and saving power, to the end that you 
may be persuaded to accept, and trust, and love, and 
serve Him. 

You will also bear me witness that I have been your 
servant for Jesus' sake. I have served you in love — with 
a love that has grown deeper and stronger with every 
passing year. I have served you unselfishly. Most 
generously have you given me of yours, but I have 
sought not yours, but you. I have served you with ever 
increasing sympathy. Your sorrows have been my 
sorrows, and your joys, my joys. I have endeavored to 
serve you not only in the pulpit and sanctuary, but also 
in the house and by the way. How well or ill, how 
efficiently or inefficiently, I have served, it becomes not 
me to say, or hardly even to think. The record for a 
quarter of a century is made up ; it cannot be made now 
other than what it is ; and very humbly, and with a 
sorrowful sense of shortcoming, I leave it with you, 
beseeching your charitable judgment, and with God 
beseeching His forgiveness for all that has been amiss. 

Having spoken these few words (and these with not a 
little reluctance), I cease from personal reference, and 
pass to that which is more important. God buries his 
workmen, but His work goes on. Men die, but the 
Church lives on. On this Anniversary both Church and 



Discourse. 17 

Pastor are naturally brought into view, but the pastor 
sinks into insignificance beside the Church ; and there- 
fore the discourse will be occupied mainly with the 
history of the Church, and the blessings conferred on it 
by its Divine Head. 

Until recently the full and corporate title of the 
ecclesiastical body of which this Church forms a part 
was, " The Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in North 
America." This name describes briefly its character and 
origin. It was called Protestant because it protested 
against the errors of the Roman Catholic Church. It 
was called the Reformed Protestant Church because on 
certain points of doctrine, of which the chief appertained 
to the coporeal presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper, 
it differed from Luther and the Church which was called 
by his name. It was called the Reformed Protestant 
Dutch Church because it was founded in this country by 
immigrants from Holland. The first church organized by 
these immigrants was that in New York, then called 
New Amsterdam. The date of its organization was 1628. 
It still exists and flourishes under the name of the 
" Collegiate Church of New York," and is believed to be 
the oldest Protestant church of any denomination now 
in existence in this country. The fathers who founded 
it, true to the excellent custom of their mother country, 
made haste to place alongside of it a school, and this 
school also still exists and flourishes. It was established 
in 1633, five years before the organization of Harvard 
College. It was established as a free school and has 
always remained such. It was the first free school in 
the land and is probably the oldest educational institu- 
tion of any sort whatsoever now existing in this country. 

The next church founded by the Holland settlers was 
that of Albany, (then called Fort Orange,) which was 
organized in 1642. Slowly, other settlements were made 



18 Twenty -fifth Anniversary. 

in tlie valley of the Hudson, and at first chiefly on the 
western side ; and hence the next churches in order are 
those of Kingston, (1659) of New Paltz, (1683) and of 
Tappan (1694). The first church on the eastern bank of 
the river was that of Tarrytown, organized in 1697. At 
the close of the 17th Century, these last named four 
churches were the only churches of any denomination 
whatever in the whole valley of the Hudson between 
New York and Albany. Early in the 18th Century the 
tide of settlement flowed more to the eastern bank, and 
hence we find a church in Kinderhook, organized in 1712, 
and churches in Poughkeepsie, Fishkill and Claverack, 
all organized in the same year, 1716. 

Those were the days, not only of the swamp and the 
forest, but also of the tomahawk and war-whoop. The 
" Old Van Kleeck House," which was built in 1702 on 
what is now Mill Street by Baltus Van Kleeck, one of 
the earliest settlers of Dutchess Co., and remained 
standing until 1835, was a fortress as well as a house, for 
its walls were of stone, very thick, and were pierced 
near the eaves and in the gables with loop-holes for 
musketry. And there was sufiicient reason for making 
it a fortress, for, although this county was in fact 
happily free from Indian incursions, there was no cer- 
tainty that such would be the case ; and the counties on 
the opposite side of the river suffered from such incur- 
sions, even down to the time of the Eevolutionary 
War. 

The precise date of the organization of the Church of 
Poughkeepsie was October 10, 1716. On that day 
Dominie Petrus Vas, who was then pastor of the church 
of Kingston, installed its first consistory, the elders being 
Michael Parmentier and Peter Du Bois and the deacons, 
Elias Van Benschoten and Peter Parmentier. The 
church of Fishkill was organized by the same minister 



Discourse. 19 

and almost certainly in the same year. In 1714, only 
two years before the founding of these churches, the 
whole county of Dutchess contained only 445 inhabitants 
and 67 heads of families. For several years both 
churches were without a settled pastor, but nevertheless 
maintained public worship as best they could : sometimes 
having the reading of a sermon by a layman, and occa- 
sionally aided by a neighboring minister who preached 
and administered the Holy Sacraments. Such minister- 
ial aid, however, must, of necessity, have been of rare 
occurrence, for the nearest neighboring ministers were 
those of Kingston and New Paltz, and the records of the 
Church for that period show that the sacrament of 
baptism was administered not more than three times in 
any one year, more frequently only once, and in some 
years not at all. 

In the year 1730 the two churches of Poughkeepsie 
and Fishldll united in calling a settled pastor for both. 
There was no minister in this country whom they could 
obtain, and they were not acquainted with any suitable 
minister in Holland beyond the sea. They were, how- 
ever, acquainted, at least by report, with certain clergy- 
men of high standing in Holland, in whose judgment 
they felt that they might repose confidence. Therefore, 
instead of calling some unknown person from Holland, 
they sent a power of attorney call to these clergymen of 
known standing, authorizing them to select and call some 
person who in their judgment would be suitable, to 
install him in Holland as pastor of the united churches, 
and then to send him to this country. This first caU was 
made under the supervision of Rev. Yincentius Antoni- 
des, then pastor of the church of Flatbush on Long 
Island. It was, of course, in the Dutch language, and 
in that language is recorded in full on the books of this 
church and that of Fishkill. 



20 Twenty -fifth Anniversary. * 

This call was dated April 13, 1730, and was signed for 
the Church of Poughkeepsie by elders Peter Parmentier 
and Johannes Van Kleeck, and deacons Laurens Van 
Kleeck and M. Van de Bogart, and for the Church of 
Fishkill by elders Peter Du Boys and Abraham Buys 
and the deacons Abraham Brinkerhoff and Hendrick 
Phillips. 

At the end of about fourteen months there came from 
the clergymen in Holland, to whom the call was ad- 
dressed, an answer, stating that they had selected the 
Reverend, godly, and learned Herr Cornelius Van Schie, 
and after due examination had installed him as pastor of 
the united churches of Poughkeepsie and Fiskhill. 

Dominie Van Schie sailed from Amsterdam June 9, 
1731, and arrived in New York September 9, 1731, being 
just three months on the voyage. On his arrival in New 
York he was received by Rev. Gaulterus DuBois, then 
one of the pastors of the Collegiate Church of New York, 
and was by him accompanied to PoughkeeiDsie. They 
arrived here on the evening of September 30th, went to 
the house of Mr. Laurens Van Kleeck, and were there 
met and heartily welcomed by the consistories of both 
churches. 

Thus to their great delight the heart's desire of the 
people was gratified. They had a settled pastor of their 
own. But their delight was speedily followed by sorrow, 
for at the end of two years Dominie Van Schie accepted 
a call from the Church at Albany, and the Churches 
here were again pastorless ; and, although they sent sev- 
eral earnest and even pathetic calls to Holland and Ger- 
many, they remained without a pastor for eleven years. 
Nor was it surprising that they called so long in vain. 
The country was mostly a wilderness, the settlements 
were few and far between, and even in the settlements 
the people and their dwellings were widely dispersed, 



Discourse. 21 

the people were poor, the streams were unbridged, the 
roads were lonely bridle paths through silent forests. 
New York was then in time five times as far from Am- 
sterdam as our missionaries in Japan are noW from New 
York. No wonder it was not easy to find a Dutch min- 
ister, comfortably settled in Holland, who would be will- 
ing to go so far from home, and to exchange the comforts 
of a refined civilization for the hardships of an untamed 
wilderness. 

But after long search the man was found in the person 
of Rev. Benjamin Meinema, who arrived here and be- 
came the second pastor of the United Churches in 1745, 
and so continued to be until 1756. After an interval of 
two years he was followed by Jacobus Van Nist, who 
was pastor for three years, from 1758 to 1761. 

At this time there was raging a great controversy which 
convulsed our whole denomination. The parties were" 
known respectively as the Coetus and the Conferentie. 
The point at issue was that of ecclesiastical independence. 
The church in this country was then a dependency of the 
Mother Church of Holland. In this country there was 
no ecclesiastical body higher than the consistory, which 
had no power of ordination. A vacant church could 
procure a minister only from or through Holland. If a 
young man born and educated in this country desired to 
enter the ministry, and a vacant church desired his ser- 
vices, the young man, however well qualified he might 
be, could not take charge of the church until he had first 
gone by slow sailing ship to Holland, and had there been 
ordained. 

This dependency occasioned so much delay, and 
trouble, and expense, that to many, and especially to 
the younger men of the church in this country, it seemed 
intolerable, and they, therefore, took steps towards 
breaking away from it. To others, however, and espe- 



22 Twenty-fifth Anniversary. 

daily to many of the older men, the very thought of 
breaking away from the mother church seemed nothing 
less than sacrilege. All history shows that although 
Dutch blood is ordinarily cool, it can get hot, and when 
it does get hot, it is apt to get very hot and to stay hot 
a long time, and such proved to be the case in this 
instance. The controversy was waged with fury and 
continued for many years. Not only the denomination, 
but the several congregations were divided. One part of 
a congregation locked the house of worship against the 
other part, ministers were assaulted in the pulpit, and 
tumults were frequent on the Lord's Day and at the 
church doors. The churches of Poughkeepsie and Fish- 
kill took part in the lamentable controversy. Each 
congregation was divided. In 1763 one party called the 
Rev. Henricus Schoonmaker, a young man, who had been 
born, educated, and ordained in America, to be their 
pastor. He accepted the call and arrangements were 
made for his installation. The other party got possession 
of the church edifice, and locked the doors, and the 
installation service took place under an old apple tree 
very near the place on which the edifice in which we are 
now assembled stands. 

The opposing party sent a call for a minister from 
Holland, and in response to it came Rev. Isaac Rysdyk, 
who, in 1765, was installed pastor of the churches, not 
only of Poughkeepsie and Fishkill, but also of Hope- 
well and New Hackensack. Thus the church was 
split into two contending factions, headed by two rival 
pastors. It was many years before the factions became 
reconciled, and many more years before the injury 
wrought by the contention was repaired. 

Not far from 1774 the union between the churches of 
Poughkeepsie and Fishkill was dissolved, and each 
church sought a pastor for itself alone. The succession 



Discourse. 23 

in this churcli was Rev. Stephen Van Voorhis (1773-6), 
Rev. Solomon Froeligh (1776-80) Rev. John H. Living- 
ston (1781-3), Rev. Andrew Gray (1790-3), Rev. Cornelius 
Brouwer (1794-1807). During all these years the church 
was weak, and there is every reason to believe that the 
weakness was in a great measure the result of the bitter 
contentions to which reference has been made. The 
word of Scripture was verified that where strife is, there is 
confusion and every evil work. Let that sorrowful fact 
which stands out in the history of this church in the past 
be a solemn warning for all future time. 

But God, in his mercy, had better things in store for 
this part of His heritage, and a new and brighter era 
dawned upon it when a call was extended to Rev. Cor- 
nelius Cuyler, and was accepted by him in the year 1808, 
He was installed as pastor on the 2d of January, 1809, 
and continued with this people until December 17th, 1833, 
a period of 24 years aud 11^ months. This was his first 
charge, and to him this church probably owes more than 
to any other one of its long line of pastors. He, under 
God, was its restorer to vigor and prosperity. When he 
came, although there were 250 families in the congrega- 
tion, there were only 43 members of the church in full 
communion. During his pastorate, the attendance on 
the church services so increased that it was necessary to 
tear down the old church edifice and build a new one 
with larger accommodations. The word of the Lord had 
free course and was glorified in the conversion of many. 
Revival followed after revival. There were two years in 
which the accessions to the church, mostly on confession 
of faith, amounted to 96 in each year. The total of ac- 
cessions during the pastorate was 732, and at the end of 
it the church was strong, united, active, and with a mem- 
bership of 462. Another grand feature of the same no- 
table pastorate was the establishment of the Sunday 



24 Twenty-Jifth Anniversary. 

School concerning wliicli I shall have a little more to say 
presently. Before taking leave of this pastorate which 
ended, as has been said, in 1833, I cannot help announc- 
ing that it is onr privilege to have still with us, as mem- 
bers of the church, two of those who united with it sixty- 
two years ago under the faithful and successful ministry 
of Dr. Cuyler, and that probably they are both present 
with us, and participating with us in the rejoicings 
and thanksgivings of this day. 

The next pastor was the Rev. Samuel A. Yan Vranken, 
who remained but three years, (1834-7), at the end of 
which he accepted a call to the Broome Street Church in 
New York. 

He was succeeded by Rev. Alexander M. Mann, who 
was pastor of the church a little more than nineteen 
years, (1838-57), and is still gratefully remembered by 
many among us. He is now the oldest living minister in 
our denomination, is afflicted with total blindness, but 
nevertheless is cheerful, alike in the remembrance of past 
mercies, and in tlie prospect of the not distant time when 
his eyes will be opened to behold the light that shall 
never fade away. The most notable event of his pastor- 
ate here was the dismission in 1860 of 27 members from 
this church that they might organize the Second Re- 
formed Church of this city, between which and the 
mother church there has always existed the warmest af- 
fection, and the members of which have testified their 
affection by omitting their own service and joining with 
us in the service of this morning. I beg leave to say to 
the members of the Second Church, not only for myself 
but also in behalf of all my people, that we heartily ap- 
preciate and thank them for this their fraternal courtesy, 
and can only hope, as they also hope, that we may have 
opportunity to reciprocate it at the twenty-fifth anniver- 
sary of the settlement of their present pastor. If the op- 



Discourse. . 25 

portunity be afforded us, we will try to improve it as 
graciously and as gracefully as our friends of the Second 
Church have improved the opportunity which has come 
to them to-day ; and more than that we could not hope 
to do, nor could they reasonably desire. 

Dr. Mann was succeeded by Rev. George M. McEckron, 
who was installed September 7, 1858, and resigned 
February 18, 1867. 

The present pastor began his work here on the first 
Sunday in October, 1867, but was not formally installed 
until the regular meeting of Classis which was held here 
on Tuesday the IStli of the same month. 

The Consistory then was composed as follows : — 

Elders — David C. Foster, Henry D, Varick, Charles 
M. Pelton, Daniel R. Thompson, Elvy Deyo and John 
R. Mathews. 

Deacons — Charles Carman, John Van Keuren, John 
K. Mandeville, Lewis D. Barnes, C. S. Van AVyck and 
David B. Lent. 

Six of these, one-half of the whole number, have since 
passed from the earthly service to the heavenly reward ; 
and every one of them has left behind him the memory 
of the just which is blessed. Of the remaining six, 
three have removed to distant churches, one has resigned 
on account of impaired health, and two, David C. Foster 
and Daniel R. Thompson, still remain in active service. 
David C. Foster has been in almost continuous service as 
deacon and elder for 50 years, and Daniel R. Thompson, 
for 87 years. May it please God long to spare to us 
their cheerful presence and wise counsel. 

During the past twenty-five years, the Sunday-school 
has been suj^erintended, first by John R. Mathews, and 
then by Milton A. Fowler, and under their efficient 
superintendence and the instruction of faithful teachers 
it has been indeed the nursery of the church. 



26 Twenty-fifth Anniversary. 

The Young People's Alliance was formally organized 
December 14, 1887, and was the outgrowth from a young 
people's prayer meeting wliich was established in March, 
1874, and since then has never once missed being held, 
whatsoever might be the weather or the season of the 
year. 

The women, like those spoken of in the Scriptures, 
have laboured faithfully in the Lord, and, through their 
several organizations, have contributed greatly to the 
prosperity and usefulness of the church. 

During the whole twenty-five years we have been 
blessed with peace and concord. There has been no dis- 
sension. Pastor and Consistory, and people and choir 
and sexton have wrought together in harmony. 

As I look back over these years, I cannot find words 
to exj)ress my thanks to the members of the Consistory 
for their uniform kindness and efficient support. 

Nor can I find words to express my thanks to you, my 
people, who are my joy and my cro\vn, for all the kind- 
ness you have lavished upon me. I can only pray, as I 
do constantly pray, that God may abundantly reward 
you, by supplying all your needs according to His riches 
in glory by Christ Jesus. 

Most of all should our thanksgiving be rendered to 
God, from whom cometh down every good and every 
perfect gift. And while we thank Him, the sense of his 
mercies in the past should incite us to new consecration 
for the present and future. May this day of gladness 
then be all the more glad through being one of new and 
glad consecration to the blessed service of the blessed 
Lord ! O, that you who have never done it before might 
consecrate yourselves to Him this day, and so make it a 
day not only of joy to yourselves, but also of joy in the 
presence of the angels of God ! And, O, that we who 
liave done it before might this day consecrate ourselves. 



Discourse. 27 

to him anewy and more unreservedly ; and may all the 
prosperity which God has bestowed in the past on this 
Church of his ownj^lanting be but as the first fruits of 
a greater harvest of prosperity which He will bestow upon 
it in the years which are to come ; and to Him, the only 
wise God, Our Fathers' God, and our God, who will be 
our guide even unto death, and will then receive us to 
glory, be ascribed, as is most due, all praise, and majesty 
and might, and dominion, both now and forever more. 
Amen, 



HISTORY 

OF THE 

First Reformed Church 

OF POUGHKEEPSIE. 
TOPICALLY AERAISTGED. 



HISTOBY. 



Under the following topical arrangement is given a 
History of " The Reformed Dutch Church of Pough- 
keepsie," popularly known as the "First Reformed 
Church of Poughkeepsie," more extended than time 
would permit in the prefixed Anniversary Discourse. 
Where the authorities on which the statements are 
made are other than those found in the records and 
documents in possession of the church, they are either 
mentioned in the text, or indicated by references at the 
foot of the page. 

ORGANIZATION, 1716. 

The church was organized October 10, 1716. The 
records show that on that day Rev. Petrus Vas, who 
was then pastor of the church of Kingston, installed 
Machiel Parmentier and Pieter du Bois as elders, and 
Elias van Benschoten and Pieter Parmentier as deacons. 
Like all the Low Dutch Reformed churches then exist- 
ing in this country, the church thus organized in Pough- 
keepsie acknowledged ecclesiastical subordination to the 
Classis of Amsterdam, in Holland. 

INCORPORATION, 1789. 

For more than sixty years the church existed without 
charter or incorporation. In the minutes of Consistory 
for 1774 there is record of an application for a charter 
which is as follows, viz : 



32 History. 

"At a meeting of the Reformed Low Dutch Church 
at Poughkeepsie, held at the house of Clear Everitt, 
the 22d day of March, A. D. 1774, it was conceived 
advisable to petition his Excellency William Tryon, 
Esq., for a charter of Incorporation of said church, etc., 
and for that purpose have prepared a jDetition, and dele- 
gated the Rev. Stephen Van Voorhees one of the Min- 
isters, and Gilbert Livingston, one of the Elders of said 
congregation, to wait upon His Excellency, and present 
the same ; and the said Consistory do hereby desire the 
said Minister and Elder to apply to the Consistory of 
the Reformed Low Dutch Congregation at New York in 
order to obtain their favor and assistance in the prem- 
ises." 

The records give no farther information concerning 
this petition. The presumption is that, even if it was 
presented, it was not granted, for there is a document 
which shows that the church became incorporated at 
a later date, under the General Act of Incorporation 
first passed by the Legislature of the State, April 
6, 1784, and amended March 7, 1788. This document, 
which is still in possession of the church, reads as fol- 
lows : 

" We, the subscribers, being Elders and Deacons of the 
Reformed Protestant Church of Poughkeepsie, in Dutch- 
ess County, and being incorporated by virtue of an Act 
of the Legislature of the State of New York, entitled An 
Act making such alterations in the Act for incorporating 
Religious Societies as to render the same more conven- 
ient to the Reformed Protestant Dutch Congregations 
passed the 7th of March, 1788, and having assembled to- 
gether at Poughkeepsie aforesaid on the 22d day of 
October in the year of our Lord 1789, pur^iant to the 
direction of the said Act, do hereby certify unto all 
whome it may concern that ' The Reformed Dutch 



Seal 1793. 



33 



Sealed and delivered 
in tlie presence of 
William Bailey, 
Charles Platt. 



CTiurclh of PougliJceepsie^ sliall be, and hereby is de- 
clared to be the Name, Style, and Title by which the 
Trustees of the church aforesaid and their successors 
forever shall be called, distinguished, and known. 

In Witness whereof we have hereunto respectively 
set our hands and seals at Poughkeepsie aforesaid, the 
seventeenth day of November, in the year of our Lord 
1789." 

Henry Hegeman, [seal] 

Peter Tappen, [seal] 

Isaac Romine, [seal] 

John Frear, [seal] 

Myndert Van Kleeck, [seal] 
Henry Livingston, Jr., [seal] 
Abm. Fort, [seal] 

Benjamin Westervelt, [seal] 

On the reverse of *tlie document is an acknowledgment 
signed by Zepha. Platt, and a certification of Record as 
follows, viz : 

"Dutchess County ss. Recorded in Book No. 1 of 
Church Certificates, page 18 and 19, this 28th day of 
September, 1790." 

Robert H. Livingston. 



SEAL, 1793. 

At a meeting of the Consistory held Sept. 4, 1793, 
under the Presidency of Rev. Andrew Gray, who was 
then pastor of the church, the following action was 
taken, viz : 

" A Seal was laid before the Trustees having this de- 
vice, a Star cornuted flamant, Motto, Reformed Dutch 
Church Poughkeepsie, (as in the annexed impression), 
which seal was adopted by the unamimous concurrence 



34 History. 

of said Trustees, and to be by them used, and to be dis- 
tinguislied by the name of the Seal of the Corporation of 
the Reformed Dutch Church in Poughkeepsie." 

The Seal thus adopted is still in possession of the 
church, and is affixed to calls and other documents of 
importance. 

UNION OF THE CHURCHES OF POUGHKEEPSIE AND 
FISHKILL. 1730-1774. 

The two churches of Poughkeepsie and Fishkill were 
organized by the same minister. Rev. Petrus Vas of 
Kingston, and in the same year, 1716. The congregations 
of both were few in number, had but slender resources, 
and were for several years without a pastor. In 1730 
they united in calling a pastor for both, and in the call 
the two congregations " obliged themselves by signature 
that the union between Poughkeepsi^and Fishkill should 
not be dissolved in other than an ecclesiastical manner, 
and under the approbation of the most Rev. Classis of 
Amsterdam." 

The union thus formed continued a little more than 
forty years, and seems to have been dissolved gradually. 
At the time of the dissolution, each of the two churches 
was divided into two parties, of which one favored the 
Conferentie, and the other the Coetus, and each of the 
two parties had its own minister. The minister of the 
Conferentie party in both churches was Rev. Isaac 
Rysdyck, and as it appears from the Minutes of General 
Synod that he was in 1772 dismissed from his charge in 
Poughkeepsie, and still retained that of Fishkill, the 
process of dissolution may be regarded as then having 
begun. 

The minister of the Coetus party in both churches was 
Rev. Henricus Schoonmaker, and as he was dismissed at 



Succession of Ministers. 35 

a joint meeting of the two consistories held June 15th, 
1774, and after that date there is no record of joint ac- 
tion by the consistories or churches, the dissolution may- 
be regarded as then made complete. The ax)probation 
of the Classis of Amsterdam was not sought because the 
churches in this country had then become ecclesiastically 
independent. 

SUCCESSION OF MINISTERS. 
1. Cornelius Van Schie, 1731-3. 

The first pastor of the united churches of Poughkeep- 
sie and Fishkill was the Rev. Cornelius Van Schie, who 
was a native of Holland, and was born 1703. He was 
twenty-eight years old when he came to this country, 
and the churches of Poughkeepsie and Fishkill were his 
first pastoral charge. In defraying the expense of bring- 
ing him to America, the two churches were aided by the 
people of Albany ; as appears from a memorandum still 
existing and dated April 2, 1734, which speaks " of the 
money of the Albany people given to us for our Min- 
ister's coming from holand." 

The call in response to which Mr. Van Schie came was 
addressed, not to him (for he was unknown to the 
churches), but to four clergymen of repute in Holland, 
and empowered them to select some person who, in their 
judgment, would be suitable, and on his acceptance of 
the call, to install him as pastor of the united churches 
and send him to this country. 

The following is a translation of the call as it appears 
in the Dutch language on the records of both churches : 

" Copy of the Power of Attorney Call to the Very Keverend 
Messrs. Herm. Van de Wal, Job. Hagelis, Leonard Beels, and 
Tibs. Eeytsma for a preacber for Pougbkeepsie and the 
Fisbkin." 

As tbe inhabitants of tbis beautiful and fruitful region 
under God's goodness are still daily increasing in number, and 



36 History. 

in particular the descendants of those who several years since 
coming out one after another from Holland chose this country 
for their dwelling place, and avowed themselves to be members 
of the Low Dutch Eeformed Church ; 

So also the congregations of Poughkeepsie and the Fishkill 
(lying along the North River on the east side, the southernmost 
part consisting of the Fishkill about twelve, and the northern- 
most of Poughkeepsie, sixteen Dutch miles from New York), 
are under Grod's providence so increased that tliey constitute a 
reasonable number of church members (howbeit still very few 
in number, particularly at the Fishkill), who on each Lord's 
Day attend the public worship of God under the reading of a 
sermon, etc., hitherto established at either village, while one 
and another neighboring Low Dutch Eeformed minister, 
thereto invited by us at certain times in the year, administer 
the Holy Sacraments. 

But earnestly desiring that we, like other congregations, 
may be able to enjoy the blessedness of the preaching of the 
Word of Grod and what appertains thereto by a pastor and 
teacher settled among us, to the end that thereby both old and 
young may be better advanced in the right knowledge of the 
pure doctrine of the gospel, that we may more regularly observe 
our becoming worship, and that the more zealous confirmation 
of the true faith in Christ with true godliness may be encour- 
aged, &c., which, above all, is among us in the highest degree 
necessary, because they are so many who are as sheep having no 
Shepherd : 

Therefore all the members of the congregations of Pough- 
keepsie and the Fishkill have agreed with each other to call 
from Holland a preacher for both congregations. Likewise 
they have thereto authorized us, the undersigned Elders and 
Deacons of Poughkeepsie and the Fishkill, for the forwarding 
of this pious work ; and we to this end, from every one of the 
aforesaid members and other residents joined with us, have re- 
ceived a voluntary subscription for a certain sum for the mak- 
ing up of a sufficient yearly salary for a Low Dutch Reformed 
minister, according to our small ability ; but in the goodness of 
God they are now so increasing that it seems to us that it will 
in a short time be much greater. 

Accordingly, after taking counsel and advice from several 
ministers of the Low Dutch Reformed Church in this land, we, 
in our ecclesiastical assembly, after calling on the name of God, 
have resolved to convey to you, very Rev. Sirs, Herm. Van de 
Wal, John Hagelis, Leonard Beels and Tib Reitsima, these 



Succession of Ministers. 37 

presents of authority for the callino^ of a Low Dutch Eeformed 
minister for our congregations. We therefore also with these 
our presents of authority do convey to you, very Rev. Sirs, 
Herra. Van de Wal, John Hagelis, Leonard Beels, and Tib. 
Reitsima, all requisite authority, right, and power, that as 
wholly representing us for the Low Dutch Reformed congrega- 
tions of Poughkeepsie and the Fishkill in the province of New 
York under the crown of Great Britain in America, you, either 
unanimously or by a majority of your whole number, may call 
an orthodox, suitable and edifying Low Dutch Reformed 
ordained pastor and preacher to undertake among us the preach- 
ing of the gospel, the catechetical instruction, and the admin- 
istration of the Holy Sacraments according to the institution of 
Christ, and jointly with the officers of the Churches to exercise 
diligently and prudently the Church discipline, and further to 
do all that is required by and appertains to the office of a faith- 
ful servant of Jesus Christ, according to God's Holy Word, and 
the good order of the Church, after the manner of the Synod 
of Dort, Anno 1618 and 1619, and the custom prevailing in the 
Low Dutch Reformed churches in this country. And in par- 
ticular, in order to a somewhat more exact definition of his 
service with us, the preacher who, through you, Rev. Sirs, 
shall thus be called for our congregations, shall, health per- 
mitting : — 

1st, On each Lord's Day preach twice, and in the afternoon 
treat a catechetical subject according to the Heidelberg 
Catechism. 

2nd. His Reverence shall on the first Sunday preach at 
Poughkeepsie, and on the next at the Fishkill, and so shall 
continue by turns. 

N. B. The two Churches are situated about two and a half 
Dutch miles distant from each other. 

3rd. In the winter time, from the first Sunday m November 
to the first Sunday in March, on account of the wide dispersion 
of the people and their dwellings, there shall be preaching only 
once on each Lord's Day ; and also, according to custom, on 
the first and second days of Christmas time, likewise on the 
New Year and Ascension Day and on Easter and Whitsunday. 

4th. At least six months in the year his Reverence shall every 
week catechise in the neighborhood in which there was preach- 
ing on Sundays, at such time and place as may be most agree- 
able to him. 

5th. The Lord's Supper shall be administered four times a 
year, equally for both congregations, to wit: — twice in Pough- 



38 History. 

keepsie and twice in the Eishkill, or oftener, as the Consistories 
and the preacher may deem advisable. 

6th. The preparatory service is as often to be held on Thurs- 
days before the Lord's Supper, and the Thanksgiving service in 
the afternoons following the mornings on which the Lord's 
Supper shall be administered. 

7th. The pastoral visiting shall be attended to at least twice 
a year, once for each village, at the most suitable time decreed 
by the consistories. 

That now you, Eev. Sirs, may seek out for our congregations 
such a suitable man (being a person either married or unmar- 
ried and not more than thirty-two years old) and move him to 
the undertaking of this service, we thus promise his Eeverence: — 

1st. The sum of seventy pounds, New York money, each 
year for the first five successive years, and then from the sixth 
year eighty pounds, New York money, a year. 

3nd. These sums shall be paid to his Reverence during his 
faithful ministry among us by the Elders and Deacons, or their 
order, the just half to be promptly paid each half year. 

3rd. The time of his salary shall begin with the lifting of the 
anchor of the ship on which he shall sail hither from Amsterdam. 

4th. Furthermore his Eeverence with his family shall also 
enjoy free passage. 

5th. He shall reside either in Poughkeepsie or in Fishkill, or 
thereabout, as shall be found most fit and to his best satisfac- 
tion, and in such place both congregations shall, at the first 
opportunity, build for him a suitable dwelling and from time to 
time shall keep it in good repair. 

6th. The congregation with whom he chooses to live shall 
furnish him sufficient firewood for summer and winter from 
year to year, to be piled by his house. 

7th. The congregations shall at his coming present him with 
a suitable horse,* bridle and saddle, but afterwards, he shall 
provide himself with a horse for all necessary going about in his 
ministry among his people. Therefore shall the congregations 

* The color of the horse bought in fulfillment of this promise is known 
from this receipt which is still preserved. 

Dutchess County, September the 2th, An. Dom: 1733. 

I Underwriten Hendrick Phillips own to have Received by the liands of 
Mr. Henry Vanderburgh, Deacon of the Eeformed Prodestant Church at 
Poeghkeepsink, the sum of four pounds & Teen shillings In full for our 
half of a Certain Brown Horse Bought by the Elders & Deacons of me 
the Said Hendrick Phillips for the Reverend Doct. Cornelius Van Schij 
Minister then of Poeghkeepsink & fish Kill. I say Received pr me. 

The mark HP of Hendrick Phillips. 



Succession of Ministers. 39 

present his Reverence from year to year three pounds additional 
money, three morgens of pasture, also a garden in suitable 
fence, and at the first opportunity shall plant an orchard with 
a hundred fruit trees. 

8th. Also, whenever he preaches or renders any other service 
in that portion where he is not residing, he shall be provided 
with free lodging and board for the time being. 

All this, we, the undersigned Elders and Deacons of Pough- 
keepsie and the Fishkill promise to his Reverence: — 

(A.) According to the written subscription and the voluntary 
obligation of the members of both congregations and of other 
residents with us being sufficient for the full making up of the 
aforesaid salary. 

(B.) And for the prompt fulfillment of all these we oblige 
and bind ourselves ^'qualitate qua," i. e., as present Elders and 
Deacons, likewise that the same shall be done by all and every 
one who after us from time to time shall be called to be Elders 
and Deacons of our congregations, and that before that they shall 
be installed in their respective offices, to wit, by subscribing also 
this instrument of calling (according to the custom usual here 
in several congregations in these parts,) in pursuance of the 
action taken by all who among us have ever been invested 
with the office of Elder and Deacon. 

(C.) Also both congregations of one accord have obliged them- 
selves by signature that the union between Poughkeepsie and 
the Fishkill shall not be dissolved in other than an ecclesiastical 
manner, under the superintendence of at least two ministers of 
the most Rev. Classis of Amsterdam, or some preachers in this 
land called from Amsterdam and corresponding with the most 
Rev. Classis of Amsterdam, and chosen thereto with the con- 
sent of both congregations, and that under approbation of the 
Rev. Classis of Amsterdam. 

This then being our sincere intent and complete authority 
thus according to all the aforesaid to call a suitable and edifying 
minister for our congregations, we pray the Great Shepherd of 
the sheep, our Great God and Savior, who by His Spirit gathers 
His flock under the ministry of the gospel in all places and out 
of all people, that He may be pleased to follow these terms of 
our call with His blessing, to that end humbly requesting that 
you, very Rev. Sirs, out of consideration of the great needs of 
our congregations, be pleased to take the trouble to seek out 
and find a suitable man for our congregations, and having 
found him to move him to accept the ministry and to come to 
us at the first suitable and convenient time, seeing that a zeal- 



40 History. 

ous servant of Jesus Christ may here win a good harvest for the 
extension of His Kingdom and the glorifying of His name. 

Assuring him who comes to us as our pastor and teacher that 
we shall hold his Reverence in such esteem, love, and honor as 
is due to an upright minister, we shall await his coming with 
desire, and pray God to make prosperous ways for him. Mean- 
while we will always acknowledge your good service to us with 
gratitude, and will pray God that He may crown with His favor 
and follow with His blessing your persons, ministry and fami- 
lies, to the magnifying of His most Holy name in the winning 
and saving of many souls. Amen. Signed : 

FOR POUGHKEEPSIE. 

THE DEACONS. THE ELDERS. 

Laurens Van Kleeck, Pieter Parmentier, 

HIS 

M. Van de X Bogaart, Johannes Van Kleeck. 

MARK. 

for fishkill. 
Abraham Brinkerhoff, Pieter DuBots, 

HIS 

Hendrik X Phillips, Abraham Buys. 

MARK. 

Further signed : 
I, the undersigned, testify, as correspondent thereto invited, 
that this subscribing is done after calling on God's name in the 
ecclesiastical meeting of the Elders and Deacons of the united 
Churches of Poughkeepsie and the Fishkill, the 13th of April, 
A. D., 1730. 

ViNCENTIUS AnTONIDES, 

Minister at Flatbush, &c., 

on the Long Island. 

To this call there came, at the end of some fourteen 
months, an answer, which is also recorded in the books 
of both chnrches and is as follows : 

Rev. Sirs and Brethren, constituting the Rev. Consistories of 
Poughkeepsie and the Fishkill: — 

In pursuance of the power of attorney letters sent to us by 
you last year for the procuring of an intelligent and God-fear- 
ing minister for your congregations, we have proceeded to do 
this without delay, and thereto have chosen the Reverend, godly, 
and learned, Heer Cornelius Van Schie, who, in the fear of the 
Lord, having accepted the call, was thereupon examined with 
great credit at a meeting of Classis held at Amsterdam on the 
4th of June, and on the same day was installed into the Holy 



Succession of Ministers. 41 

ministrvHor vour congregations, and we hope that you and 
Zc legations will^find him a suitable, faithful and pious 
teache? and pastor who will in all respects feed the flock of God 
Wishing that the Lord may bring his Keverence to you safely 
with the fullness of the blessing of the gospel, and that many 
souls through the ministry of his Reverence may be wrested 

ron 1^ e Sgdom of Satan and joined to Christ our Lord, and 
that the faithful through his learned and pious instruction may 
grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savioi 

Tesus Christ : we commend his Reverence and also you all to 
Sandtle'wordof His grace which is able to build you iip 
and to give you an inheritance among all them which are 

^^Rev. Sirs and Brothers, your well wishing Brothers, 

Signed. H. V. D. Wall, 

John Hagelis, 
Leonard Beels, 
T. Reytsma. 

Amsterdam, June 7th, 1731. 

As soon as possible after his installation, Dominie Van 
Schie started for liis field of labor. The name of the 
ship on which he sailed is unknown, but from the copy 
of the expense account which is recorded in the church 
books we learn that the Commander was Captain Lau- 
rens and that on her voyage hither the ship stopped for 
a while at Dover, in England. The dates of sailing and 
arrival are preserved for us in a brief note made by Dom- 
inie Van Schie on the fiy-leaf of the Church book of 
Fishkill in which he states that on the 20th of June, 
New Style, that is on the 9th of June, Old Style, Anno 
1731 he with his wife sailed from Amsterdam, m Hol- 
land for New York, and arrived there the 9th of Sep- 
tember, Old Style. Hence, it appears that he was just 
three months on the voyage. 

On his arrival in New York, he was received by the 
Rev Gualterus Du Bois, then one of the pastors of the 
Collegiate Church of New York, and was by him accom- 
panied to Poughkeepsie. On his arrival in Poughkeep- 



42 History. 

sie, a joint session of the consistories of Ponglikeepsie 
and Fishkill was held for the purpose of welcoming him. 
The proceedings of that meeting are recorded in the 
books of both Churches and are as follows : — 

PouGHKEEPSiE, Sept. 30th, 1731. 

Dominie Cornelius Van Schie having arrived here in the 
evening at the house of Mr. Laurens Van Kleeck, after calling 
on God's name, consistory meeting was held with all the con- 
sistory members of Poughkeepsie and the Fishkill ; when 

Ist. For this occasion Dominie G. Du Bois, who, at the re- 
quest of the committee of the consistory of Poughkeepsie and 
the Fishkill, accompanied Mynheer Van Schie to introduce him 
to his congregations, was unanimously requested to preside over 
this meeting. 

2nd. Thereupon was read in consistory the letter from the 
authorized preachers of Amsterdam, informing them that in 
pursuance of their power of attorney call they had called Dom- 
inie Cornelius Van Schie for jjreacher of Poughkeepsie and the 
Fishkill ; likewise the letter of the Classis of Amsterdam con- 
cerning the ordination of the same and his installation for their 
congregations. Whereupon Dominie Gualterus Du Bois pro- 
posed to all the members of consistory present, whether they 
did not, in pursuance of these letters, acknowledge this 
Dominie Cornelius Van Schie for their lawful ordained pastor 
and teacher of Poughkeepsie and the Fishkill. Hereupon they 
all with hearty testimonies of gladness, testified to Dominie 
Cornelius Van Schie with outreaching of the hands that they 
acknowledge and in truth shall hold him as their lawful pastor 
and teacher ; and Dominie Du Bois wished them all health and 
peace and prosperity wath his Keverence, &c., &c. 

3rd. Thereon resolved that the letter of the Sirs H. Van De 
Wall, J. Hagelis, L. Beels and T. Keytsma dated at Amsterdam, 
June 7th, 1731, shall be copied in the church books both of 
Poughkeepsie and the Fishkill ; as also, 

4th. That the power of attorney call on Dominie Van Schie 
shall also be inscribed in both church books, word for word, 
with some blank leaves, that the same may be subscribed from 
year to year by the Elders and Deacons elect, as was resolved by 
the consistory, and as the power of attorney itself indicates. 

5th. That those who may be married, baptized, and received 
as church members at Poughkeepsie, shall be recorded in the 
church book there, and so also all of this kind that takes place 
at the Fishkill shall be recorded in the church book of Fishkill. 



Succession of Ministers. 43 

6th Also unanimously resolved that the consistories of 
Pouffhkeepsie and the Fishkill shall be and remain two separate 
consistories, and that each shall hold separate meetings for 
choosing new members of consistory and all other business which 
pertains to the welfare of either congregation m particular. 

7th That their preacher in joint meeting of consistory, m 
case of any voting on any matter coming up, as president shall 
have a double vote. . , 

8th. Resolved, unanimously, by vote of the consistories ot 
Poughkeepsie and the Fishkill, that the time of choosing the 
new consistories shall be at Poughkeepsie and the Fishkill the 
first or second Sunday in the New Year after the preaching 
service of the day where the preacher shall then have preached. 

9th. In both the congregations and the Churches o± Pough- 
keepsie and the Fishkill, at the first opportunity notice _ shall 
be given to the congregations, that, in pursuance of a unanimous 
resolution of both the consistories of Poughkeepsie and the 
Fishkill, the parents henceforth shall please to present their 
children for baptism, only after they shall have betimes given 
to the pastor for record the names of the child, the parents, and 
the witnesses ; but in case Reformed Church members come 
from a distance, and do not belong to the congregation under 
the preaching, they shall announce such (names) to an Jiider 
present, or, if no Elder be present, to a Deacon, and then the 
child, if legitimate, shall be baptized, provided they promise 
that they will give the same, for record by the preacher, imme- 
diately after church time. ^^ . . . . . , , 

10th. With respect to the Lord's Supper, the division is thus 

arrange^^ the month of October the Lord's Supper shall always 
be administered at Poughkeepsie. 

(2 ) In the mouth of December at the I^ishkill. 

(3.) On Easter or the following Sunday at Poughkeepsie. 

(4.) On Whitsunday or the following week at Fishkill. 

(5.) In the month of June at Poughkeepsie. 

(6 ) In the month of August at the Fishkill. 

Subscribed. All this done in my presence, 

Gr. Du Bois. 

At the same meeting or soon afterward, Dominie Van 
Schie must have called attention to the expense which he 
had incurred on his journey. The account of such ex- 
pense is recorded in both church books and is as follows: 



44 History. 

1. To the Classis of Amsterdam and the authorized * 

Sirs preachers 12 10 

2. Expenses from Delft to Amsterdam 1 10 

3. 30 days in Amsterdam, making ready myself and 

wife and waiting for a ship to go, — each day 

spent 13 shillings and 4 pence 20 00 

4. Cost of bringing my goods on board and the 

Custom House 1 00 

5. Spent at Dover . 4 00 

£39 00 
To Captain Laurens paid for the passage of 

Dominie Van Schie and his wife 32 00 

To the same Captain for fresh provision, laid in 

in England to eat on the voyage 2 19 6 

To the passage from New York to Poughkeepsie 

for the preacher and his company 2 19 

£76 18 6 
Our forefathers, with their Dutch honesty, were not 
willing that such an account should remain long unsettled, 
and therefore, only four days later, another joint meeting 
of the consistories was held for the purpose of settling it, 
and also of attending to other matters pertaining to the 
comfort of the new pastor. The record of that meeting 
is as follows : 

Poughkeepsie, Oct. 4th, 1731. 

1st. After calling on God^s name, consistory meeting is again 
held with the consistories of Poughkeepsie and the Fishkill, and 
then all the articles made in the previous meeting of the 30th of 
September last are confirmed. 

2nd. Thereon the reckoning of expense incurred in the 
coming over of the Heer Van Schie with his wife is taken up 
and was fully acquiesced in, with unanimous resolution that the 
same be copied in both the church books of Poughkeepsie and 
the Fishkill, with written approval signed by both consistories. 

3rd. In order that Dominine Van Schie may have perfect 
freedom in choosing the place most agreeable to him at Pough- 
keepsie and the Fishkill, all the consistories have declared that, 
whenever Dominie Van Schie makes his choice, they with per- 
fect content shall consent to the same and shall fully acquiesce 
therein. 



Succession of Ministers. 4i5 

4th. Whenever Dominie Van Schie shall have chosen to 
reside at Poughkeepsie or at the Fishkill, there where he chooses 
to live, both congregations together (each bearing the half of 
the expense) shall buy six acres, build a house, and make a 
garden, and plant an orchard, in accordance with the stipu- 
lations on these points contained in the power of attorney 
call. 

5th. In case it may come to pass at any time after both the 
congregations of Poughkeepsie and the Fishkill shall together 
have bought six acres at the place where Dominie Van Schie 
shall have chosen to reside, and there shall have built a house 
and made a garden and planted an orchard, that the two con- 
gregations shall ecclesiastically separate from each other, that 
each may have a preacher for itself, then shall the six acres, 
house, garden and orchard be appraised by four impartial men, 
(and the said four shall have power to choose a fifth) and the 
congregation at the place where the preacher shall have resided 
shall honestly give the just half of the sum for which all the 
aforesaid was appraised to the congregation in which no 
preacher's house was built with the coming of Dominie Van 
Schie. Subscribed. 

All this was done at the place and times aforenamed m the 
presence of Dominie G. Du Bois, as we, the undersigned 
testify. 

Cornelius Van Schie. 

PiETER Parmentier, Laurens Van Kleeck, 

PiETER Du Boys, Abraham Brinkerhofe, 

Johannes Van Kleeck. Hendrik X Phillips, 
Abraham Boys, mark. 



HIS 



Myndert X Van de Bogaart. 

MARK. 

The duration of Dominie Van Schie' s pastorate was 
less than two years. In 1733 he removed to Albany and 
took charge of the church there in acceptance of a call 
dated May 11, 1733. 

He served the church of Albany as the colleague of 
Dominie Van Driessen until the death of the latter in 
1738, and then as sole pastor of the church until his own 
death, which occurred August 15, 1744. He was buried 
under the church at Albany. 



46 History. 

His last sermon was from the text, Rev. 2:10, "Be 
thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of 
life."* 

2. Benjamin Meynema, 1745-56. 

After the departure of Mr. Van Schie the united 
churches promptly took steps towards securing a new 
pastor, and to this end sent a second call to Holland. 
This was countersigned by Rev. George Wilhelmus 
Mancius, then pastor of the church of Kingston. Like 
the first it was a power of attorney call, directed to cer- 
tain clergymen in Holland and empowering them to 
select and send a minister for the two churches here. 

The clergymen named are three of the four named 
in the previous call, viz : Messrs. Hagelis, Beels and 
Reytsma. The name of the fourth is omitted and it is 
possible that he had died in the intervening time. 

In its general tenor this second call resembled the 
first ; but there are a few points of difference. 

The salary offered is eighty pounds instead of seventy. 
Forty pounds are sent with the call to pay the passage 
of the minister. Now a parsonage is built at Pougli- 
keepsie, and it is described as " a new and suitable dwel- 
ling house for the free residence of the preacher for the 
time being ; forty-five feet long and twenty-seven broad, 
having three rooms and also a study upstairs, a large 
cellar under the house, a well with good water, a garden 
and an orchard planted with a hundred fruit trees." 
It is also stated that in case any dispute should arise 
between the preacher and the consistories, one or more 
orthodox ministers of these provinces should be selected 
as referees, and to their decision, subject to the approval 

* Historical Discourse on the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Al- 
bany, by Rev. E. P.Rogers, D.D., 1857. Also Circular by the Consistory 
of the same church. 



Succession of Ministers. 47 

of the most Rev. Classis of Amsterdam, the matter or 
matters should be wholly referred. 

To this call no response came so far as is known. 
Certainly no response came in the shape of a living 
pastor. Therefore, after a time of patient waiting, the 
consistories sent a letter to one of the clergymen in Hol- 
land, (Rev. L. Beels) Jogging his memory, and offering 
additional inducements. They agree to increase the 
salary from eighty to one hundred pounds, and say that 
this is more than is received by many preachers in these 
parts. They state that the two churches are only three 
hours distance from each other, and that in his journey- 
ings from one to the other, his Reverence shall seldom 
be without company. They also speak of the harmony 
prevailing among the people, and praise God that no 
division of sentiment worthy of mention is to be found 
among them. This letter as copied in the church book, 
bears no date. 

Time passed on. No response came and the churches 
were still pastorless. Having failed to obtain a pastor 
from Holland, the churches turned their eyes to Germany, 
and sent a power of attorney call to some clergymen 
there, urging them to seek and send a pastor, and stipu- 
lating that if the person selected were not able to preach 
in the Low Dutch language, he should undertake to 
preach in it, in one year, if practicable. This call also, 
as copied in the church book, bears no date. Like that 
which had been sent to Holland it was unsuccessful. 

Failing abroad, the Church of Fishkill, weary with the 
long waiting, looked for a pastor nearer home. They had 
heard of a young man named John Caspar Fryenmoet 
who had been somewhat irregularly ordained and was 
engaged in the work of the ministry in Port Jervis and 
the neighboring churches on the Delaware. On the 20tli 
of September, 1742 (at least eight years after the de- 



48 History. 

parture of Dominie Van Schie), the Church, of Fishkill 
by itself, and without the co-operation of the Church of 
Poughkeepsie, sent a call to him, offering him eighty 
pounds a year and stipulating that his ordination should 
be made regular. But the call was not accepted. 

Thus unsuccessful in this country, the churches again 
looked to Holland and sent another power of attorney 
thither. The previous call had been directed to three 
clergymen. This was directed to one clergyman and 
three laymen, namely, the Very Rev. Theodoras Van 
Schelluyne, and the highly esteemed Messrs. Pedro de 
Wolff, L. Clarkson and J. Stockers. This call is dated 
Poughkeepsie, January 22nd, 1744, and is countersigned 
by J, M. Weiss, minister of the High and Low Dutch 
Reformed Congregations of Rynbeck, in Dutchess 
County. The terms are substantially the same as those of 
the preceding calls with the exception that the salary is 
increased to the munificent sum of one hundred and ten 
pounds, but is to be paid yearly instead of half yearly. 

More than a year passed before the answer came ; but 
when it came it made glad those whose hearts were sick 
with hope long deferred, for it informed them that the 
authorized gentlemen had conferred the call on Dominie 
Benjamin Meynema, then ministering the Holy Gospel 
atOudwolde and Westergeef t in the Classis of Dokkum, 
in Holland, and that the same had been accepted by him. 

Mr. Meynema (thus he uniformly writes his name, 
but it also occurs as Meinema and Meenema) was born in 
Holland in 1705,* and is said to have been licensed in 
1727. The call accepted by him is not copied in the 
church book of Poughkeepsie, but is recorded in full in 
the church book of Fishkill, and beneath it are the fol- 
lowing (in Dutch), which are interesting as showing the 



* See inscription on his tombstone, page 53. 



Succession of Ministers. 40 

formalities which were then requisite for the obtaining 

of a minister. 

First appears this action of the gentlemen to whom 

the call was addressed : 

" Bv authority of the above Power of Attorney, we, the under- 
signed have conferred the call to the pongregation o Pough- 
Esie and Fishkill on Do. Benjamin Meynema at present 
mTnisterin- the Holy Gospel at Ondwolde and Westergeeft 
Si such conditions as are contained in the aforesaid instrument 
of^ Power of Attorney, who, also, on the same conditions has 

accepted the calL 

Amsterdam, May 4, 1745. , 

Theodorus Van Schelluyne, 
Pedro de Wolff, 
Lev. Clarkson, 
J. Stokkers, 
Benjamin Meynema. 
" This signed in our presence. 

^ Thomas Van Bisselik, 

Cornelius Janse, 
Otto Van Dam, (Notary public.) 
Accords, so far as concerns this extract, with the original as 

above signed. o i-r/tK 

Amsterdam, June 9, 1745. 

Otto Van Dam, 

Notary public." 

Then follows the approval of the Classis of Amsterdam 
to which the churches of Ponghkeepsie and FishkiU 

were subordinate. , 

-The very Reverend Classis of Amsterdam, having seen and 
considered the call to the ministry of the churches of Pongh- 
keepsie and Fishkill presented by the committee to the person 
of Beniamin Meynema, has unanimously approved the same, 
and hereb^ approVes the same, with congratulations and prayers 
?or all blessings on him who is called and on his congregation. 
Amsterdam, June 14, 1745. 

In the name of Classis, 

Johannes Van der Voem, 
Preacher at Amsterdam, 
Clerk of Classis, 

pro tern." 



50 History. 

And finally appears tlie action of the Classis of 
Dokkum to which the Rev. Mr. Meynema was sub- 
ordinate. 

''The Eeverend Classis of Dokkum, having examined the 
accompanying call to Do. B. Meynema, and also the accom- 
panying approval of the Classis of Amsterdam, and there- 
upon having learned from the members of the consistory of 
the former congregations of his Eeverence that his Reverence 
would also be dismissed by them, accordingly the Rev. Classis 
of Dokkum dismisses the aforesaid Do. Meynema from his 
charge at Oudwolde, etc./ and assigns him to the Congregations 
of Poughkeepsie and Fishkill, with wishes for the precious 
blessings of the Lord on his person, ministry, and the con- 
gregations. 

July 5, 1745. 
H. Reitzema, President of Classis Pro tem. 
A. KxocK, Clerk of Classis Pro tem.'' 
We know not when this second pastor sailed from 
Holland, or when he arrived in this country ; but we 
learn from the records of the Church of Fishkill that he 
was present at a joint meeting of the two consistories 
held in Poughkeepsie, December 22, 1745, and there 
presented two requests. One was that the expense in- 
curred in his journey to this country should be paid by 
the congregations, and the other, that his salary should 
be paid half yearly instead of yearly as promised in the 
call. The first was promptly granted and the second, 
unanimously refused. The consistories would fulfill 
their promise to the last iota, but would not go beyond. 
From the record of another consistory meeting held May 
18th, 1747, we learn that " the president was pleased to 
inquire whether he and his horse ought not to be pro- 
vided with meat and drink and fodder while he was en- 
gaged in pastoral visiting"— whereupon it was "Re- 
solved, that the consistory who go around with him 
shall ask and demand these for his Reverence. Also, 
his request that he might be reimbursed for any expense 
in riding to the church, or from the church to his home, 



Succession of Ministers. 51 

on account of storm, high water, and necessity of being 
helped through the creek, is answered in the affirmative, 
since the call assigns that to him." 

These extracts from the early records are interesting 
as furnishing a contemporaneous picture of the times. 
They show how much farther, in time, America was from 
Europe then than it is now. Then the voyage required 
three months of discomfort, now it can be accomplished 
in six or eight days of luxury. New York was then, in 
time, five times as far from Amsterdam as our mission- 
aries' in Japan are now from New York. They show the 
state of the country here— the wilderness dotted with 
but few settlements, and even in the settlements the 
people and their dwellings widely dispersed ;— the roads 
which were not roads, but only bridle paths, winding 
through the forest and so lonely that it is mentioned as 
a special inducement that the preacher will seldom have 
occasion to journey from one Church to the other with- 
out company ;— the unbridged streams for the crossing 
of which assistance was necessary in case of high water. 
They show the condition of the Churches as to ex- 
ternals,— how few were the members, and how slender 
their resources, so that Poughkeepsie and Fishkill had 
to unite because neither one was able to support a pastor 
by itself, and even then were constrained to seek as- 
sistance from " the people of Albany." 

But they show, also, the spirit of the people :— their 
courageous hopefulness which makes them confident 
that their numbers and their resources will increase ;— 
their true Dutch persistency, in which they seek for a 
pastor first in Holland, and then in Germany, and then in 
America, and then in Holland again, and keep on seek- 
ing through more than eleven long years until the pastor 
is found ;— their carefulness, in which they define just 
what they expect from their pastor, and what he may 



52 History. 

expect in return ; — their great regard for him, mani- 
fested by hands outstretched in welcome ; — their sturdy 
independence, for, much as they respect their pastor, he 
is to be no lord over God's heritage, and on occasion 
they can unanimously refuse his request. Above all do 
we see their love for the Church and its ordinances and 
the word of the gospel, which constrains them to pray, 
and strive, and tax themselves to the utmost of their 
ability in order that they and their children may enjoy 
the preaching of the word and the administration of the 
ordinances by a pastor settled among them. 

Dominie Meynema remained pastor of the united 
Churches until December 23d, 1756. There is still pre- 
served among the papers of the Church of Fishkill the 
paper on which, at that date, he acknowledges the receipt 
of three hundred and ten pounds in full of all demands, 
and therewith declares his voluntary resignation of 
Poughkeepsie and Fishkill. The paper is signed 
"Benjamin Meynema, gemitteerd predikant," which, 
being interpreted, is ' ' Benjamin Meynema, dismissed 
preacher." 

It would seem that his relations were not altogether 
amicable, either with his churches, or with the Coetus. 
In the minutes of the Coetus for November, 1749, there 
is intimation of dispute between himself and his consis- 
tories which had been referred to the Coetus for settle- 
ment. From the minutes of the same body for Septem- 
ber, 1754, it appears that the dispute still continued, and 
a committee was appointed "to bring the congregation 
and the Dominie to peace and love and harmony for 
their common welfare, and in case Dom. Meinema should 
refuse (which may God forbid) to appear before the 
committee, and thus contemn it, then the committee is 
authorized to inquire into the charges against him, and 
to deal with him ecclesiastically according to the circum- 



Succession of Ministers. 53 

stances, even to his suspension from the ministerial 
office."* 

There is every reason for supposing that the charges 
thus spoken of were not of any immorality, but of un- 
amiable and dictatorial disposition and manner. The 
Rev. Mr, Fryenmoet, in a letter to the Classis of Am- 
sterdam, says that the rupture between Dominie Mey- 
nema and his congregations was caused by his lack of 
"lovable and friendly conversations and intercourse 
with people," and that the quarrels and dissensions 
between him and them "rose so high that, finally, for 
the sum of three hundred pounds of our money, Dr. 
Meynema was compelled to desist from his services 
among them." 

Little is known of the history of Dominie Meynema 
subsequent to his resignation of his charge. He was 
Ijuried in the church -yard of Fishkill and on his tomb- 
stone is the following inscription : 

Hier Leyde het Lighaam 

van De Eerwaarde Heer 

BENJAMIN MEENEMA. 

in zyn Leenens Teje i)redikant van de 

Viskels & Pougbkeepsie, in de 

Heere Outslaapen den 9 September, 1761. 

Oude Synde 56 Jaar.f 

His wife was Catrina Rapelye, and the inscription on 
her tombstone in the same church-yard states that she 
died January 17, 1759, aged 28 years and 6 months. 



* Minutes, Gen. Synod, Vol. I., pp. xli., xciii. 

f Here lies the body of the Reverend Benjamin Meenema, in his life time 
preacher of FishkiU and Poughkeepsie. Fell asleep in the Lord, September 
9, 1761, aged 56 years. 



54 History. 

3. Jacobus Van Nist, 1758-61. 

The third pastor of the united churches was Jacobus 
Van Nist (also written Van Nest and Van Neste), who 
was born in this country in 1735. The call extended to 
him was dated Nov. 28, 1758, and countersigned by Rev. 
Jacobus Rutser Hardenburg, of Raritan. It states that 
he was then a candidate for the ministry, and stipulates 
that he shall allow himself to be examined for licensure 
and ordained by the assembly of ministers and elders 
known by the name of the Reverend Coetus of New 
York and New Jersey. The controversy between the 
Coetus and Conferentie parties had then begun, and the 
Conferentie at its meeting in October, 1758, sent a com- 
plaint to the Classis of Amsterdam that "they (the 
Coetus) proceeded in the Spring to make a candidate of 
one Hardenburg, and afterwards, even last week, made 
him the minister of Raritan, and further two candidates, 
one Van Nest and one Barcalo."* 

Mr. Van Nest was only twenty-three years old when 
he became pastor. His ministry was of brief duration, 
as in little less than two years and a half it was termina- 
ted by his death. He was buried under the pulpit of the 
old church of Fishkill, and the stone erected to his 
memory stands at present against the rear wall of the 
church of Fishkill, and bears the following inscription : 
Hier Leydt Het Lighaam van 
JACOBUS VAN NESTE, Bedienaar Des 
Heylige Evangelium of Pockkeepsie 
En de Viskill, In Dutchess County. 
Zynde In de Heere Gereest de 10 
April, 1761. Oudt Zynde 26 Jaar, 
2 maande en 3 Daage. f 

* Minutes Gen. Synod, Vol, T, p. eii. 

t Here lies the body of Jacobus Van Neste, Minister of the Holy Gospel in 
Poughkeepsie and the Fishkill, in Dutchess County. Rested in the Lord 
April 10, 1761. Aged 26 years, 2 months and 3 days. 



Succession of Ministers. 55 

4. Heistricus Schoonmaker, 1763-74. 

The fourth pastor of the united churches was the Rev. 
Henricus Schoonmaker who was born in Rochester, 
Ulster Co., July 18, 1739, and studied under Rev. J. H. 
Goetschius. The call extended to him is dated Pough- 
keepsie, Dec. 11, 1763, countersigned by Johannes Mau- 
ritius Goetschius, minister of New Paltz and Shawan- 
gunk, and attested on behalf of the Coetus by Rev. J. M. 
Van Harlingen. It is addressed to him as a candidate for 
the ministry and stipulates that he shall be examined, 
licensed, and ordained by the Coetus. The controversy 
between the Coetus and Conferentie was then at the 
climax of its vehemence, and the portion of the congre- 
gation that favored the Conferentie was bitterly op- 
posed to the settlement of Mr. Schoonmaker as their 
pastor, and, succeeding in obtaining possession of the 
church edifice, barred the doors against the committee 
appointed by the Coetus for the ordination. The com- 
mittee thereupon had a wagon placed under a large tree 
in front of the church, and the ordination sermon was 
preached by Rev. John H. Goetschius, standing in the 
wagon, and on bended knees in the wagon the candidate 
received the laying on of hands. A young man, John 
H. Livingston by name, was present and, deeply inter- 
ested in the whole scene, said to one of the elders, 
"Thank God, though the opponents have succeeded in 
excluding him from the church, they have not succeeded 
in preventing his ordination." 

Elder Peter Van Kleeck and Deacon John Conklin, of 
Poughkeepsie, had not signed the call, and at the meet- 
ing of the Conferentie held June 20, 1764, they appeared 
before the assembly with a complaint against the ruling 
consistory of the congregation for " making a call upon 
one Schoonmaker" without recognizing them in their 



56 History. 

official character, and for allowing him to preach 
although he had not been regularly ordained. 

On the ground of these complaints it was requested 
that a minister should be sent to appoint a consistory 
according to the constitution of the church. After "a 
consciencious consideration of the case the request was 
granted," and in their letter to the Classis of Amster- 
dam, prepared at the same meeting, the Conferentie 
states " that the congregation of Poughkeepsie is under 
the tyranny of some consistorial persons, who were 
picked out of the congregation by the Coetus ministers, 
to serve the ends of the Coetus, by unlawfully thrusting 
(ten to one in the congregation being opposed), upon 
Poughkeepsie and Fishkill that Schoonmaker, whom 
they last autumn made a candidate, and have now made 
a minister. We have now permitted the petitioners to 
choose a consistory, which will serve, not only to hinder, 
in his disorderly course, this young man, ordained 
against the will of the Classis, (as they very well knew), 
but also to put the congregation in a condition to 
unite with some other settlements near by in calling 
a lawfully ordained minister from this country or 
Holland."* 

Mr. Schoonmaker was pastor of the Churches until 
June 15, 1774, when, at a joint meeting of the two con- 
sistories, held at Fishkill, he was dismissed, in order 
that he might take charge of the Church in Aquacka- 
nonck, N. J. The consistories, in giving him his dismis- 
sion, testify to his faithfulness, and declare that " they 
had wished, if it had seemed good in the providence of 
God, that they might have been able still longer to re- 
joice in his light, and to profit by his useful and accept- 
able ministry." 



* Minutes general Synod, Vol. I., pp. cxiii-cxv. 



Succession of Ministers. 57 

It is said that Mr. Sclioonmaker was in his time the 
most eloquent i)reacher in the Dntch language in this 
country. He could not preach well in English, and left 
Poughkeepsie and Fishkill for Aquackanonck largely 
because, in the former places, the use of the Dutch 
language was declining, and in the latter place was still 
maintained. 

In 1816, on account of the infirmities of age, he 
resigned his pastoral charge, and, in the same year, 
removed to Jamaica, Long Island, to reside with his 
son, Rev. Jacob Schoonmaker, pastor of the Reformed 
Dutch Church in that place. There he died, January 19, 
1820, in the eighty-first year of his age. His body was 
removed to Aquackanonck for burial among the people 
of his last charge, and the funeral sermon was preached 
by his successor. Rev. P. D. Froeligh, from the text, 
Zech. 1: 5.* 

5. Isaac Rysdyck, 1765-72. 

It has already been said that some in the united con- 
gregations favored the Conferentie party, and conse- 
quently were opposed to the settlement of Mr. Schoon- 
maker. They regarded his ordination as unlawful and 
invalid, because it had not been conducted by the 
authority of the Classis of Amsterdam. These disaffected 
members of the two congregations chose consistories of 
their own, in opposition to the other two consistories, 
and the consistories thus chosen sent a call to the Classis 
of Amsterdam, requesting the Classis to send to the 
churches a minister from Holland. The call was accom- 
panied by a letter to the Classis from the Rev. John C. 
Fryenmoet, who was a member of the Conferentie, and 
was, at that time, the pastor of the churches of Kinder- 

* Corwin's Manual of the Reformed Church, and Rev. Cornelius D. West- 
brook, D.D., in Sprague's Annals, Art. Schoonmaker, Ilenricus. 



58 History. 

hook, Claverack, and Livingston Manor, This letter so 
accurately describes the condition of the churches at 
that transition period, and so vividly depicts the diffi- 
culties and perplexities which were inherent in the 
circumstances in which they were placed, that, with the 
exception of a few unimportant sentences, it is here 
given entire '.* 

Very Reverend Fathers and Brothers in (Jlirist, composing the 
Classis of Amsterdam. 

In the name, and by the order, of the Eev. Consistories of 
the four combined congregations, Po'keepsie, Viskil, New 
Hackinsack, and Hoopwell, I have the honor to convey to your 
Eeverences the enclosed letter ; with their humble request that 
you will please to supply them as soon as possible, with an 
orthodox, learned, and pious minister, who shall faithfully and 
constantly maintain the good order of the church, according to 
divine and human law, regard your Reverences as a high 
assembly, and therefore, with us, subordinate himself to you, ad- 
hering with us to your Reverences in brotherly love, steadily 
and faithfully ; so that by such a man, with the supporting 
assistance and blessing of God, the decaying condition of these 
calling congregations may again be restored, that the truth of 
our sound confession of faith, and our pure discipline, according 
to our laudable church rules, be protected and defended against 
so many interrupting errors in doctrine and discipline, which 
flood the church, not only with all kinds of erroneous spirits 
from outside, but also with promoters of the present Coetus 
from inside. 

I consider it expedient to lay, in this letter, before your Rev- 
erences, a faithful report of the present condition of these 
congregations ; so that you may not only perceive by it the 
necessity and important occasion of this call, but also be in a 
condition to send an able man for these congregations. 

Po'keepsie and Viskil are two large congregations, from 
which the two others, Hackinsack and Hoopwell, have started. 
With consent and approval of the Consistories of Viskil and 
Po'keepsie they were organized as separate congregations ; but 
the growth of the two large congregations was much retarded 

* This letter is part of the Amsterdam correspondence belonging to the 
General Synod. The attention of the writer was kindly called to it by the 
translator, Berthold Fernow, Esq., of Albany. 



Succession of Ministers. 69 

by the grievous quarrels and dissensions arising between their 
pastor. Dr. B. Meinema, and the Consistory and congregations 
of Po'keepsie, and, later also, of Viskil ; which rose so high that, 
finally, for the sum of 300 pounds of our money. Dr. Meinema 
was compelled to desist from his services among them, and make 
thereby an opening for the call of a poorly educated Coetus 
youth, named Jacobus van Nist, But the breach among them 
was not thereby healed. It became only greater, because, during 
his service, which was cut short by an early death, the Con- 
sistories of both congregations wholly surrendered to the present 
Coetus ; that is, they withdrew from the jurisdiction of your 
Reverences, bragging and boasting that now they were deliv- 
ered from the Papal yoke of subordination to the Classis ; (for 
such and much worse is their constant foul language), that 
they have as good a right to examine and promote as the 
Classis ; and that therefore it could not be suifered that other 
persons should ever come among them, for the ecclesiastical 
service, than such as were fully subordinate to the present 
Coetus, nor that others should be allowed to preach in their 
churches than Coetus preachers. For this reason, and for want 
of members, their number in each congregation is very small ; 
not more than the Consistory with very few adherents. The 
same men are yearly re-elected into the Consistory, and I have 
been forbidden the Church at Fo'keepsie, because I am not a 
preacher of the Coetus. All this not only embitters the congre- 
gation against their Consistories, and still more against the 
Coetus, but also grieves and distresses them about how to 
extricate themselves from such a miserable condition, wherein 
they were without the service of the word and the seals of the 
covenant, except by Coetus preachers, with whom the congre- 
gations would have nothing to do. 

Therefore they finally addressed themselves to me to take the 
service now and then among them, which I have accepted ; first 
in the congregations of New Hackinsack and Hoopwell, which 
were more peaceful, because their Consistories did not belong 
to the Coetus ; and then at Viskil, "but there with consent of 
the Consistory. I have now served these congregations for 3 or 
4 years, although I live between 70 and 80 miles from them. 
During this time I have used all possible care and trouble to 
reconcile the dissenting parties, and to have them call an 
orthodox pastor, subordinate to your Reverences ; but it was all 
in vain, because the Consistory of Viskil obstinately stood to 
their resolution not to have anything further to do with the 
Classis or Synod, but only with the Coetus, and therefore to 



60 History. 

call, contrary to the will and wish of the Congregation, a young 
man who was to be examined and promoted against the express 
prohibition of the Classis and Synod. 

Then the congregations of New Hackensack, Hoopwell, 
Kloof, with the subordinate one of Viskil Ferry, resolved to 
send a call to Dr. Blaeuw, Minister at the Gansegat ; and it 
was done in the presence of myself as adviser. As, however, 
he raised difficulties about accepting the call, because not the 
Consistory of Viskil, but only the deputies of the congregations 
had signed it, the subordinate members of this congregation 
urgently requested me to help them to a Consistory, that their 
call might be made complete, because their Coetus Consistory 
would not do it. At first I found many difficulties ; but after 
consulting with my Consistory, and after examining and con- 
sidering, with six of my elders, the condition of the Viskil 
congregation, we found ourselves compelled by our consciences 
to provide them with a consistory ; but not before having taken 
about it the advice of the Rev. Ministers at New York and 
Long Island. These gentlemen unanimously thought that the 
congregation ought to be provided with a consistory. Before 
carrying out this advice I tried once more to bring the Con- 
sistory of Viskill to better thoughts, and to submit to your 
Reverences, by reading to them for that purpose your letter of 
the 3rd of October, 1763, with the resolution of the Synod in 
it ; but again it was in vain, for, after many scoffing abuses 
and reproaches about Classis and Synod, finally I received 
from the oldest elder, Jan Brinckerholf, in the name of the 
whole consistory, to which the Po'keepsie body had been added, 
the following answer : They thought that N B (oh ! abomina- 
tion !) commits a sin against the Holy Ghost if he deserts the 
Coetus (which they considered fully authorized and empowered 
to all they did and undertook, viz, to examine and to promote 
independent of Classis and Synod) and if he again submits to 
your Reverences. Seeing they were incorrigible, I then pro- 
ceeded with the subordinate members of the congregation 
to elect a Consistory, and installed them. All the proceedings 
in regard to it I laid upon the table of our subordinate meeting 
last June, and it was not only unanimously approved, but I 
was also heartily thanked for it. Pokeepsie was in similar cir- 
cumstances, as an elder and a deacon who have not surrendered 
to the Coetus clearly proved before our meeting. They re- 
quested to be provided with a legal and loyal Consistory in the 
same way as Viskil, and the meeting deputed me and Dr. 
Koch, Minister at the Camp, to carry it out. How well or 
badly we have executed our commission your Reverences may 



Succession of Ministers. 61 

see from the enclosed copy of our minutes, which we send for 
your consideration. 

Meanwhile Dr. Blaeuw with thanks declined the call to 
Viskil and the other congregations ; and this compelled the 
Consistories to proceed to another call, and to give the honor 
of it to your Reverences, according to their written obligations, 
a copy of which is enclosed. They do it herewith, hoping, 
wishing, and praying, that, agreeably to your sanctified discre- 
tion, and good will to promote the welfare of the Dutch Zion, 
as means in the hands of the great Shepherd Jesus, you will 
send over a pastor for these congregations, who, being a man 
after God's heart, may direct and pasture them with knowledge 
and discretion ; who, being, like ApoUos, mighty in the scripture, 
can stop the mouths of adversaries ; who is of lovable and 
friendly conversation and intercourse with people, because 
lack of these qualities has been the first leading cause of the 
rupture between Dr. Meinema and his congregation ; but who 
above all this, adorns our holy confession of faith with an 
exemplary, pious, life and walk. 

The congregations should now be able to call two pastors, if 
there were not many who defer signing for a lawful teacher 
until your Reverences shall have declared this Schoonmaker, so 
wonderfully promoted, to be unauthorized by our church ; 
which I humbly request to be done soon, so that h*^ may be 
prevented from preaching and administering the sacraments, 
and entire quiet and peace may be restored to these congre- 
gations by the coming of an authorized pastor. There are also 
others who delay signing until a preacher comes over on this 
call, fearing that perhaps another Meinema might come, to 
whom then they would be bound. Therefore I sincerely pray 
that Jehovah, directing everything in wisdom, may endow your 
Reverences with doubled faith and discretion in selecting a 
teacher for these congregations, and that he will crown with all 
desired blessings here, and with the reward of faithful servants 
hereafter, the labor and the unwearied care, which, from time 
to time, your Reverences have used, and are still employing, for 
the well being and the advantage of our Dutch churches. 
With most devout respect, I sign. 
Reverend Fathers and Brothers in Christ 

Your obedient servant and brother, 
J. C. Fryenmoet V.D.M. in Manor of 
Po'keepsie, Livingston, Claverack, and Kinderhook. 

the 3rd of Octbr, 1764. (^Et. 43)* 

* Mr. Fryenmoet had a curious custom of always appending his age to 
his signature. 



62 History. 

In compliance with the request thus forwarded the 
Classis of Amsterdam selected Rev. Isaac Rysdyck, and 
the call was accepted by him. He was a native of Hol- 
land and was born about 1720. He was educated at the 
University of Groningen, and, after his admission to the 
ministry, labored ten or fifteen years in Holland, but in 
what parish or in what capacity is unknown. There is 
no copy of the call extended to him in the records now 
existing, and its precise date cannot be ascertained. But 
in the record of baptisms by Mr. Rysdyck is an entry of 
which the following is a translation. 

"In 1765, September 22nd, I, Isaac Rysdyck, alone lawful 
preacher of the Low Dutch Reformed congregation of Pough- 
keepsie and annexed churches, after presentation of lawful certi- 
ficates from the Very Rev. Classis of Amsterdam, by whom my 
call to this congregation was approved, as appears from the 
instrument of calling registered in the Church book, and from 
my former congregation and Classis, was installed by Rev. John 
Casp. Freyenmoet in the congregation of Poughkeepsie." * 

Mr. Rysdyck ministered to the two churches from 1765 
to 1772, and as Mr. Schoonmaker was ministering to both 
churches at the same time, each of the two churches, 
during those years, had two rival pastors and two rival 
consistories, f 

Under these circumstances it must be regarded as 
fortunate that each of the rival ministers preached on 



* 1765. Den 23 September ben ik, Isaac Rysdyck, alleen wettig Predikant 
der Nederduitsche herformde Gemeente van Pougkeepsie cum annexis 
ecclesiis na vertoning van wettige attestatien, so van de HoogEerw. Classis 
van Amsterdam, door welke myn Beroeping tot dese Gemeinte geapprobert 
is, als blykt uyt het Instrument van Beroeping in het Kerkenbock geregisteerl , 
als van myne vorige Gemeinte en Classis, door Dr. Joh. Casp. Freyenmoet, 
in de Gemeinte van Pougkeepsie ingewydt. 

fFor these years there are two records of baptisms in different books, one 
being in the handwriting of Dominie Schoonmaker, and the other in that of 
Dominie Rysdyck. 



Succession of Ministers. 63 

alternate Sabbaths in Poughkeepsie and Fishkill. 
While Dominie Schoonmaker was preaching in one place, 
Dominie Rysdyck was preaching in the other. In each 
place the party there favoring the preacher, would attend 
the service, and the party opposed would stay at home, 
and thus were avoided collisions which otherwise would 
have occurred. 

In October, 1772, Dr. Isaac Rysdyck presented to the 
General Synod, " a call made upon him in the congrega- 
tion of Fishkill, being an adddition to his former call in 
that place, to serve the congregation of Fishkill in the 
use alternately of the English and Dutch Languages." 
The Synod approved the new adjustment, in expectation 
that his dismission from Poughkeepsie would thereupon 
be regularly effected, and appointed a committee to effect 
such dismission. * The committee, in due time, performed 
the duty thus assigned, and the record of baptisms by 
Dr. Rysdyck in Poughkeepsie ends on November, 1773. 
He continued his labors in the church of Fishkill and the 
neighboring churches of Hopewell and New Hackensack 
until very near his decease, which occurred Nov. 20, 
1790. He died at New Hackensack, where he resided 
during the last years of his life, and was buried under 
the pulpit of the church. The site of the present edifice 
of the church of New Hackensack is a little north of that 
occupied by the former edifice, and the place which was 
under the pulpit of the former edifice is now in the burial 
ground adjoining the present edifice, and is known as 
the pastors' plot. There the remains still lie as they 
were originally deposited, and in the plot there is a 
monument with this inscription : — f 



* Minutes Gen. Synod, Vol. 1, pp. 31, 36, 37. 

t For a copy of the inscription the writer is indebted to Rev. W. A. 
Dumont, pastor of the Church of New Hackensack. 



64 History. 

REV. ISAAC RYSDYCK, 

first pastor 
of this church, 
DIED IN 1790. 
He was settled over the churches 
of Poughkeepsie, Hopewell, Fishkill 
and New Hackensack in 1765, — and 
continued his ministry in the three 
latter churches until his death, 
when he was buried in front of 
the pulpit of the former house 
of worship) which stood here 
from 1766 to 18B5. 

Mr. Rysdyck was, in his day, considered the most 
learned theologian in the Dutch church. In addition to 
his pastoral labors he had charge of a classical school in 
Fishkill, which was the first of its kind established in 
Dutchess county. Although he and Rev. Mr. Schoon- 
maker were of opposite ecclesiastical parties, they main- 
tained friendly relations with each other, and endeavored 
to allay the prevailing strife. At the meeting of minis- 
ters and elders, held in New York in 1771, to devise 
means for the peace and unity of the churches, both 
were present and approved the plan of Union which was 
then adopted.* 

6. Stephen Van Vooehees, 1773-6. 

The next pastor was Stephen Yan Yoorhees, (also 
written Yan Yoorhis), for whose history the records of 
the church furnish but little material. There is not 
found in them any copy or mention of either his call or 
his dismission. But in the Minutes of the Synod for 
October, 1772, it is recorded that he then presented him- 



Corwin's Manual and Sprague's Annals. 



Succession of Ministers. 65 

self to that body for examination and licensure, and 
that, in his examination, he afforded much satisfaction, 
and was received among the number of licentiates. In 
the minutes of the next session, held October, 1773, it is 
stated that among the calls presented, was " one from 
the congregation of Poughkeepsie upon Rev. Stephen 
Van Voorhis," and it was "approved by this Rev. 
Body." The precise date of his installation is un- 
known, but in the minutes of the consistory, his name 
appears as that of the minister, in the meeting held 
March 22, 1774, and thence continues to appear until 
May 2, 1776. 

After leaving Poughkeepsie he, for a short time, sup- 
plied a Reformed Dutch congregation which then existed 
in Dover, in the eastern part of Dutchess county. From 
1776 to 1784 he was the pastor of the church of Rhine- 
beck ; from 1785 to 1788 of the churches of Phillips- 
burgh, (now Tarrytown,) and Cortlandtown, and from 
1788 to 1796 pastor of the Presbyterian churches of 
Assynpinck and Kingston, in New Jersey. He died 
November 23, 1796.'^ 

7. SoLOMOl^^ Froeligii, 1776-80. 

Solomon Froeligh (also written Freligh and Freylig), 
was born May 29, (0. S.) 1730, about two miles east of 
Red Hook, then in the county of Albany, now in the 
county of Dutchess. He was licensed by the Synod in 
October, 1774, and on the 11th of June, 1775, was 
ordained and installed pastor of the four Reformed 
Dutch congregations in Queens county, Long Island. 

After living there for fifteen months he fled to Hacken- 
sack, N. J., and barely escaped being taken prisoner by 
the British army. In his flight he lost all his worldly 



* Corwins' Manual. 



66 History. 

goods, including even liis books and clothing. As Hack- 
ensack was within the region that fell under the control 
of the British troops, Mr. Froeligh, in company with Dr. 
Livingston, sought refuge above the Highlands of the 
Hudson, and accepted an invitation from the then 
vacant congregations of Poughkeepsie and Fishkill to 
make a temporary settlement among them. He was not 
regularly installed over them, and therefore, strictly 
speaking, was only their "stated supply;" but inas- 
much as he remained with them and rendered all the 
service of a pastor for the space of four years, he was 
their pastor in fact if not in form. 

Among the entries in the records of the church in his 
own handwriting is one which states that his wife, 
Rachael Vanderbeck, was, on the 19tli of October, 1778, 
received into the communion of the church on Confes- 
sion of Faith. 

In 1780 he accepted a call from the churches of Mill- 
stone and Neshanick in Somerset county, N. J., and 
was their pastor until 1786, when he accepted a call from 
the churches of Hackensack and Schraalenbergh in Ber- 
gen County, N. J., with whom he remained until the 
end of his life. 

He was appointed Lector in Theology by the General 
Synod in October, 1792, and Professor of Theology in 
June, 1797. 

In 1822 he headed the secession movement which 
resulted in the organization of the body known as the 
True Reformed Dutch Church, and thereupon (June 
1823) was, by the Synod, removed from his office as 
Professor. He died October 8, 1827, in the seventy- 
eighth year of his age and the fifty- third of his min- 
istry."^ 



* Sprague's Annals. 



Succession of Ministers. 67 

8. John H. Livingston, 1781-3. 

John H. Livingston was born May 30, 1746, in the 
" Livingston Mansion," '^ which was built by his father, 
Henry Livingston, and still stands on the bank of the 
Hudson a short distance south of Poughkeepsie. He 
graduated with honor at Yale College, and at twenty 
went to Holland, and for four years pursued his theolo- 
gical studies at the University of Utrecht. He was 
licensed by the Classis of Amsterdam in 1769, and, in 
the following year, returned to this country, and became 
one of the pastors of the Collegiate Church of New York 
city. 

From that time forth his history is the history of the 
denomination with which he was connected. Such were 
his ability and influence, that, among all its ministers, he 
was conceded to be the foremost, and to him, under God, 
more than to any other man, was the denomination in- 
debted for the cessation of the intestine strife, which for 
many years imperiled its existence. 

Soon after the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, 
New York city was occupied by the British forces, and 
by them two of the three edifices used by the Collegiate 
Church for worship were sadly abused and desecrated. 
One, (the North Church,) was used as a hospital and for 
storage, and the other, (the Middle Church,) was convert- 
ed first into a prison, and then into a riding school for 
officers and soldiers. Dr. Livingston, being thus 
prevented from prosecuting his ministry in New York, 
removed first to Kingston, thence to Albany, and thence 
to Livingston Manor, in Columbia county. 

In the records of the church of Poughkeepsie occur 
the following : — 



* So say his descendants who, until recently, occupied the " Mansion." 



68 History. 

''1781, July 9, Eesolved to open a subscription list for 
raising a sum sufficient for the purpose of inviting the Eev. Dr. 
John H. Livingston, late of the City of New York, but at 
present at the Manor of Livingston, to become our minister." 

'' 1781, August 4, an invitation was made, and drawn up in 
proper form in writing, by which the Eev. Dr. Livingston was 
requested to perform the duties of a minister in the congregation 
as long as he shall find his situation to be convenient to himself 
and his family, promising to pay him for his service at the rate 
of three hundred and fifty bushels of wheat, and fifty pounds in 
specie per annum." 

*' 1781, August 6, the Eev. Dr. Livingston accepted of this 
invitation, and is accordingly become the minister of the con- 
gregation." 

While engaged in his ministry here, Dr. Livingston 
resided with his father in the Livingston Mansion 
referred to above. The records of this church show that 
he was earnest and active, not only in pastoral work, but 
also in that of extricating the church from serious 
financial embarrassments in which it had become in- 
volved. At the close of his ministry here he wrote in 
the book of church records the following : — 

*' It having pleased the LOED to restore peace to America, 
in consequence of which the exiled inhabitants of the City of 
New York were permitted to return to their homes, — the Eev. 
Dr. Livingston took leave of the congregation of Poughkeepsie 
in an affectionate farewell sermon, Nov. 23, 1783, and opened 
his ministry again in the City of New York, Dec. 7, 1783. 

Thus the church of Poughkeepsie is again become vacant." 

Dr. Livingston was subsequently appointed Professor 
of Didactic and Polemic Theology in the Seminary in 
New Brunswick, (1784,) and President of Queen's, (now 
Rutgers,) College, (1810,) and retained these offices until 
his decease, January 20, 1825. His remains were buried 
in New Brunswick, and a monument, erected by order of 
the General Synod, stands over his grave.* 



* Memoirs of Dr. Livingston, by Alexander Gunn. 



Succession of Ministers. 69 

9. Andrew Gray, 1790-4. 

The vacancy caused by the departure of Dr. Living- 
ston continued through the seven ensuing years. Many 
in the congregation were greatly dissatisfied with the 
consistory for allowing the church to remain so long- 
without a pastor. Among them was Mr. Gilbert Living- 
ston, who, on the 2nd of March, 1790, on account of the 
negligence of the consistory in this and other matters, 
laid before that body a formal and written " grievance," 
which is still preserved among the archives of the 
church. Soon afterwards a subscription paper, dated 
June 28, 1790, and with the following heading, was circu- 
lated and obtained many signatures : 

'' We, the Subscribers, residents within the limits of the 
Eeformed Dutch Church of Poughkeepsie, and in the vicinity 
thereof, being desirous of having Mr. Andrew Grray, (now a 
Student in Divinity with the Kev*^ Docf Meyers in New 
Jersey, when quallifyed for the Ministry,) for the Minister of 
the Said Church, to dispence the Sacraments, preach the 
Gospel, catechize the youth, and perform all other sacred 
ministerial functions as practised heretofore in the Church 
aforesaid, and to use the English and Dutch languages in his 
publick exercises in such manner as to the Said Church, from 
time to time, may be deemed proper and convenient. 

Therefore, If the Church aforesaid make a call upon the 
Said Andrew Gray upon the principles above mentioned, and 
he accepts thereof and becomes the Minister of the aforesaid 
Church, Do hereby promise to pay and deliver, or cause to be 
paid and delivered, to the aforesaid Church yearly, and every 
year, the sums of money and articles written and specified 
opposite to our Kespective names, so long as the Said Andrew 
Gray continues the Minister of the Church aforesaid, and we 
remain within the limits of the same, or in the vicinity 
thereof. Dated June 28th, 1790. 

Thus urged and encouraged, the consistory, in the 
course of the same year, presented a call to the candi- 
date, Andrew Gray. The call itself is not among the 
records of the church ; but there is an entry dated 



70 History. 

October 25, 1790, which states that the call had been 
presented, and that it was ' ' determined to increase the 
same, and instead of thirty loads, to promise fifty- 
loads" of firewood. 

Also, in the Minutes of General Synod, it is recorded 
that at the meeting of October, 1790, Mr. Andrew Gray 
was examined and licensed, and that a call was pre- 
sented to him by the congregation of Ponghkeepsie, 
which was approved ; and that arrangements were made 
for his ordination and installation on the 21st of Novem- 
ber, 1790.* 

Mr. Gray retained this charge a little more than three 
years. At the meeting of General Synod, October, 1792, 
he was appointed a missionary, with instructions to 
spend six weeks in visiting Hanover and other districts 
in the valley of the Susquehanna, where were many 
families of Dutch descent who had moved thither from 
the valley of the Hudson. f The result showed that, 
in the appointment of this their first missionary, the 
Synod had made a wise selection ; for his labors were 
crowned with abundant success, and he himself became 
so imbued with missionary zeal that he felt it to be alike 
his duty and his privilege to devote the remainder of his 
life to missionary work. Accordingly, on November 21, 
1793, he sought a release from his charge in Pongh- 
keepsie, and the consistory granted it on account of the 
very cogent reasons assigned, at the same time express- 
ing themselves as "deeply sensible of the griefs, dis- 
appointments and loss the congregation will sustain by 
this sad occurrence." 

In the records of the church the name of Mr. Gray 
appears, for the last time, as that of the president of the 



* Minutes Gen. Synod, Vol. I., pp. 207, 209. 
t Minutes Gen. Synod, Vol. I., p. 240. 



Succession of Ministers. 71 

consistory, in tlie minntes of tlie meeting lield January 
2, 1794. He spent the remaining years of his life in 
preaching the Gosj)el, and establisliing churches, on the 
outskirts of civilization in Pennsylvania and central 
New York, and died in 1819.* 

10. Cornelius Brower, 1794-1808. 

Cornelius Brower (also written Brouwer), was born in 
New York city in 1770, graduated from Columbia Col- 
lege in 1792, studied under Dr. Livingston, and was 
licensed by the Classis of New York in 1798. The call 
to him from the church of Poughkeepsie is dated Feb- 
ruary 3, 1794, and is attested by Rev. Nicholas Van 
Vranken, then pastor of the church of Fishkill. 

He was ordained and installed July 13, 1794, and was 
the pastor of the church until the regular meeting of 
the Classis, April 19, 1808, when the pastoral connection 
was dissolved. 

Mr. Brower supplied the church of Hyde Park from 
1812 to 1815, was professor in the High School in Utica 
from 1815 to 1833, and served as supply in several neigh- 
boring churches until his death in 1845. f 

11. Cornelius C. Cutler, 1809-33. 

Cornelius C. Cuyler was born in Albany, February 15, 
1783. The middle letter was inserted in his name in 
order to distinguish him from six contemporaries of the 
same surname, all of whom were called Cornelius. He 
graduated at Union College in 1806, studied under Drs. 
Bassett and Livingston, and was licensed by the Classis 
of Schenectady in 1808. The call to him from the 
church of Poughkeepsie was dated October 18, 1808, 
and attested by Cornelius D. Westbrook, then pastor of 

* Corwin's Manual, and Dr. Mabon in " Centennial Discourses." 
t Corwin's Manual. 



72 History. 

the clinrcli of Fislikill. The ordination and installation 
took place Jannary 2, 1809. 

The ministry of Dr. Cnyler was so eminently fruitful 
that it may be called the turning point in the history of 
the church. The records show that, when he came, all 
the affairs of the church were in a confused and unsatis- 
factory condition, and that there were but forty-three 
members in full communion. Under his vigorous admin- 
istration order was soon brought out of confusion, and 
the membership rapidly increased. It was during his 
pastorate that the third edifice was erected, in 1822, in 
order to meet the wants of the enlarged congregation. 
At the close of his ministry here the reported number of 
members was 462, and the church was united, active and 
vigorous. 

While in charge of this church he received several 
calls to other churches, among which was one from the 
Collegiate church of New York (1814) ; but such was his 
affection for this church, and so great was the bless- 
ing vouchsafed to his labors in it, that he declined them 
all. In 1833, however, although he was then only fifty 
years of age, he felt that his bodily strength was no 
longer adequate to the service needed by such an ex- 
tensive congregation, and, greatly to the sorrow of his 
loving and beloved people, accepted a call from the 
second Presbyterian church of Philadelphia. He was 
dismissed from Poughkeepsie, December 17, 1833, and 
continued to serve the church in Philadelphia until his 
decease, August 31, 1850.* 

12. Samuel A. Van Yeanken, 1834-7. 

Samuel A. Yan Yranken was the son of Rev. Mcholas 
Yan Yranken, for many years the pastor of the church 
of Fishkill, and was bom in Fishkill, February 20, 1792. 

* Commemorative Discourse, by Rev. Joseph H. Jones. 



Succession of Ministers. 73 

He graduated at Union College in 1815, and from the 
Theological Seminary in New Brunswick in 1817, and in 
the latter year was licensed by the Classis of New Bruns- 
wick. He served the united churches of Middletown 
and Freehold in Monmouth County, N. J., from 1818 to 
1826, and the church of Freehold alone from 1826 to 1834. 
He was called to the church of Poughkeepsie May 12, 
1834, and was installed on the second Tuesday of the 
following September. He was dismissed November 21, 
1837, in order to take charge of the Broome Street 
Church in New York city, where he remained until 1841, 
when he was appointed Professor of Didactic and Polemic 
Theology in the Seminary in New Brunswick, in which 
office he continued until his decease, January 1, 1861.* 

13. Alexander M. Mann, 1838-57. 

Rev. Alexander M. Mann was born in the city of 
Philadelphia, March 16, 1808. He was the sixth of 
twelve children, two of whom, beside himself, are still 
living. He removed with his parents to Somerville, N, J. , 
in 1813, and there spent the largest part of his boyhood. 
He united with the church when a little more than 
fourteen years of age, and soon after began to study for 
the ministry. 

After a preparatory course in the academy at Somer- 
ville, he entered the Junior Class of Rutgers College in 
1825, graduated from the college in 1827, from the 
Theological Seminary in New Brunswick in A]3ril, 1730, 
and in September of the same year was licensed by the 
Classis of New Brunswick. Immediately afterwards he 
was commissioned by the Domestic Missionary Society 
of the Reformed church to take charge of a church in 
Ithaca, N. Y., just organized, with 20 families and 32 
communicants. Here his labors were greatly blessed, 

* McClintock and Strong, Cyclopaedia. 



74 History. 

and, in seven years, the church had grown to 100 families, 
with an average yearly addition of 24 to membership. 
In 1837, for personal reasons, and against the desires of 
his people, he resigned this charge. A call was soon 
received from the church of West Troy, and an 
acceptance was given, conditioned on a trial of the held. 
Not being sufficiently encouraged by his labors there, 
he accepted the call extended to him by the church of 
Poughkeepsie, February 5, 1838, assumed charge of the 
church immediately, and was formally installed as pastor 
on the 22nd day of May following. 

It was during his pastorate of nearly twenty years 
that the third parsonage was built, the Second church 
w^as formed, by members dismissed for that purpose, and 
the third church edifice was first renovated, and after- 
wards destroyed by fire. 

Dr. Mann was dismissed from the church of Pough- 
keepsie, June 15, 1857. After leaving Poughkeepsie, 
he was for four years pastor of the church of Hoboken, 
N. J., and then accexDted a call from the Presbyterian 
Church of Freemansburg, ]S". Y,, where he also remained 
about four years. Then, feeling the burden of advancing 
years, he resigned, and has since been without pastoral 
charge. He has resided for several years in Farmer 
Tillage, Seneca Co., N. Y., and, until disabled by bodily 
infirmities, rendered excellent service in supplying 
vacant churches in the neighborhood. 

He is now totally blind, and is the only survivor of 
those who were in the ministry of the Reformed church 
when he entered it, nearly 63 years ago. Dr. Mann was 
President of the General Synod at the Session of 1851, 
and received the degree of D.D. from the University of 
Rochester in 1856.* 



* From a biographical sketch prepared for this work by Rev. F. W. 
Palmer, under the supervision of Dr. Mann. 



Succession of Ministers. 75 

14. George M. McEckron, 1858-67. 

George Mairs McEckron (originally McEacliron), was 
born September 3, 1826, in Argyle, N. Y., was graduated 
at Union College in 1848, studied theology at the Associ- 
ate Reformed Seminary in Newburgh, and was licensed 
June 30, 1851, by the Washington Presbytery of the 
Associate Reformed Church. He was ordained and in- 
stalled pastor of the Associate Reformed Church of 
Mongaup Valley, Sullivan County, N. Y., January 12, 
1853, and retained this charge until April 20, 1858, when 
he tendered his resignation and the pastoral relation was 
dissolved. The call to him from the First Reformed 
church of Poughkeepsie, was dated March 26, 1858. He 
was installed September 7, 1858, and his pastorate ex- 
tended over nearly nine years. During those years there 
were tw^o notable revivals, one in 1858, and the other in 
1866. In the latter year eighty-five persons were re- 
ceived into the church on confession of faith. 

Mr. McEckron sent his resignation to the consistory 
February 18, 1867, and the pastoral relation was dis- 
solved by the Classis February 21. From October 13, 
1868, to December 16, 1868, he was pastor of the Pres- 
byterian Church of New Hamburgh, and from February 
7, 1869, to October 10, 1871, was pastor of the West- 
minster Presbyterian Church in New York city. He 
was without a charge until 1874 or 1875, when he became 
acting pastor of the Congregational church of Park- 
ville. Long Island. His name, as that of acting iDastor, 
first appears on the records of that church January 13, 
1875, and his resignation was tendered and accepted 
July 27, 1877. While thus serving a Congregational 
church, he still retained his connection with the Presby- 
tery of New York ; but on the 3rd of October, 1881, the 
Presbytery received a communication from him, stating 
that he had withdrawn from the Presbyterian Ministry, 



76 History. 

and requesting that liis name be stricken from the roll 
of Presbytery.* The request was granted and his name 
was erased. He died, in New York city, July 14, 1884. f 

15. A. P. Yan Gieson, 1867-. 

The call to the present pastor, Rev. A. P. Van Gieson, 
was dated August 6, 1867. He began his labors in the 
church on the first Sunday of October following, and was 
formally installed as pastor at the stated meeting of 
Classis, held in the church on the fifteenth of the same 
month, (October 15, 1867). 

SUCCESSION OF ELDERS AND DEACONS. 1716-1892. 

The first elders and deacons were doubtless elected by 
the votes of the male communicants. Such is the re- 
quirement of the Constitution of the Reformed church 
now, in the forming of new churches, and such has been 
the custom from time immemorial. 

From this first election until 1747, it is uncertain 
whether the officers were elected by the members of the 
church, or by the consistory. The records simply state 
that from time to time the elders and deacons were in- 
stalled, and say nothing definite concerning the manner 
of their election. At a meeting held December 9, 1741, 
the following action was taken : 

" The old and new consistories have thought proper to give 
order, that every year on the first Tuesday in the month of 
May, for maintaining order in the Christian congregation, an 
election be held for choosing elders and deacons and church 
masters, according to the rules of the Synod of Dort, accord- 
ing to the wisdom which the Lord our God may continue 
to give to them.'';}: 

* Dr. Scouller's Manual and Records of Churches and Presbyteries, 
t The Courier, Poughkeepsie, July 30, 1884. 

X Desem. den 9 dagh hebben de oude en nuwe Kerkenrat Goet Gedocht 
om een order te maken om alle yaren een verkising te maken op de eersste 



Succession of Elders and Deacons. 1716-1892. 77 

This is ambiguous, but rather seems to intimate that 
the election was to be by the " Christian congregation." 

In 1747, the record is different, and is as follows : 

" Consistory meeting held, and, after prayer, Gysbert Pele 
and Louwerens Van Kleeck were elected elders, and Pytter Van 
Kleeck and Pytter La Roy as deacons, and were installed 
February 8th/'* 

The record for the years following is of a similar char- 
acter, and from this it is evident that in and after the 
year 1747, the election was not by the members of the 
church, but by the consistory. The elders and deacons 
already in office chose their own successors. This was 
one of the grounds of complaint specified by Mr. Gilbert 
Livingston in his ' ' Grievance ' ' presented to the then 
ruling consistory in 1790, and referred to on page 69. 
He urged that the members of the consistory, by electing 
their own successors, were acting contrary to the require- 
ments of the Confession of Faith, and usurping a right 
and privilege which belonged to the church. 

No change, however, was made until September 23, 

1822, when at a meeting of consistory presided over by 

the Rev. Dr. Cuyler, the following resolution was 

adopted, viz : — 

'' Resolved, That this Consistory are of opinion that the 
present mode of electing Elders and Deacons ought not to be 
continued in this church, and, therefore, ask leave of Classis to 
have the mode of election altered, so that the elections be held 
by the male members of the church in good standing." 

The leave thus asked was granted by the Classis at its 
regular meeting, held on the day following, and thence- 



dingsdagh in de mant van mey om de christelike Ghementen in order te 
houden om ouderlingen in diyakenen in Kerkmesters te Kjsen volligens it 
Eegt van de Sinode van dort, volligens de Kennis die onse Heeren God har 
blif t in te geven. 

* 11 Jan. 1747 Kerken-Raadt gehouden en syn na aanroeping van's H. H. 
Naam verkoren tot ouderlingen Gysbert Pele en Louwerens van Kleeck, en 
tot Diakenen Pytter van Kleek en Pytter La Roy, en bevestigt 8 Febr. 



78 



History. 



forth the elders and deacons were elected by the male 
members of the church until 1871. In that year, by 
order of consistory, the female members of the church 
were invited to take part in the elections, and thence- 
forth, until 1891, the officers of the church were chosen 
by all the members, without distinction of sex or age. 
At the meeting of General Synod held in June, 1891, the 
Constitution of the Reformed Church was so amended as 
to restrict the privilege of choosing elders and deacons 
to " the members of the church in full communion who 
shall have attained the age of eighteen years " ; and this 
is the rule which is now in force. 

A very large majority of the elders and deacons of 
the church have been re-elected several times, and, either 
continuously or with interruptions, have served in their 
respective offices several terms of two years each. In 
the succession given below the re-elections are omitted, 
and the number opposite to each name indicates the date 
of the first election as deacon or elder. 



Eldees. 



Machiel Parmentier, 
Pieter Dubois, . 
Jan Osternm, . . . 
Johannes Ter Bosch, 
Barent Van Kleeck, . 
Jan Buys, . . . 
Pieter Parmentier, . 
Johannes Van Kleeck, 
Elias Van Beenschooten 
Frans Laroy, . 
Mateus du bois, 
Jacobus Van den Bogert, 
Gysbert Pels, .... 
Louwerens Van Kleeck, 
Jacobus Stouten burg, 
Ezekiel Hasten, . . . 
Johannes Kankeli. 
Aart Middog, . . . 



1716 
1716 
1718 
1720 
1721 
1721 
1724 
1731 
1733 
1739 
1741 
1741 
1747 
1747 
1748 
1748 
1749 
1749 



Johannes Ten Broek, . 1750 
Christofeell VanBommell, 1753 
Henry Livingston, . . 1753 
Petrus Laroy, . . . 1753 
Hendric Oostrum . . 1754 
Barent Lewis, . . . 1754 
Johannes Swartwout, . 1755 
Henricus Hageman, . 1764 
Pieter Van Kleeck, . . 1764 
Hiskia Hooghteelingh, 1765 
Johannes Fort, . . . 1766 
Isaac Hageman, . . . 1766 
Gulyn Ackerman, . . 1767 
Jacobus Degraef, . . 1767 
Johanues Freer, . . . 1768 
Elias Van Beenschooten, 1770 
Simeon Freer, .... 1771 
Denie Oostrom, . . . 1772 



Elders. 



79 



rgl 



Tobias Stouten bnrgh, 
Richard Snedeker, . 
Gilbert Livingston, . 
Jacobus Freer, . 
Moses Degraef , 
Leonard Van Kleeck, 
Johannes Van Kleeck, 
John Conklin, . 
Pieter Lewis, . 
Gulian Ackernian, 
William Stoutenbu 
Peter Tap pen, 
Egbert Benson, 
Peter Schryver, . 
John Freer, , . 
Isaac Romine, 
Henry Hagaman. . 
John Van Kleeck, 
Myndert Van Kleeck, 
Peter Low, . . 
Abraham Sleight, 
John Baily, . . 
Peter Connell, 
Joost Westervelt, 
Albertus Scryver, 
Wines Manny, 
Peter Cornell^ . 
Peter DeRiemer, 
Jacob R. Duryee, . 
Benjamin Westervelt 
Joseph Westervelt, 
Isaac Romaine, . 
Abraham Pells, 
Paul Schenck, . . 
Peter LeRoy, . . 
Cornelius Swartwout, 
John Pells, . . . 
David Carpenter, . 
Adrian Covenhoven, 
Samuel Matthews, . 
Henry Barnes, . . 
Abraham G. Storm, 
Hendrick Wiltsey, 



1774 

1774 

1774 

1777 

1778 

1778 

1779 

1779 

1780 

1781 

1781 

1781 

1783 

1783 

1783 

1783 

1787 

1791 

1792 

1792 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1794 

1795 

1796 

1796 

1797 

1799 

1801 

1804 

1804 

1805 

1806 

1809 

1809 

1809 

1810 

1810 

1810 

1811 

1811 

1812 



Robert Forrest, . . . 1814 
Evert A. Pells, . . . 1815 
Simeon DeGraflf, . . 1816 
John M. Cook, . . .1817 
John V. B. Varick, . 1820 
William Bell, .... 1821 
Joseph Harris, . . . 1823 
Peter A. Schryver, . . 1824 
Michael T. Heyser, . 1824 
Joshua Bishop, . . . 1824 
Lawrence I. Van Kleeck, 1826 
Thomas W. Tallmadge, 1827 
Isaac Roosevelt, . . . 1831 
Abraham Overbagh, . . 1835 
Charles P. Adriance, . 1836 
John C. Van Valkenburgh, 

1837 
Cornelius Westervelt, . 1839 
Aaron Low, .... 1841 
Phillip Ostrander, . . 1842 
Abraham Suydam, . 1843 
Dr. John Barnes, . .1843 
John Bodden, . . . 1843 
Josiah Burritt, . . . 1844 
William Broas, . . . 1850 
Henry D. Varick, . . 1852 
Elisha Conover, . . 1852 
David C. Foster, . . .1853 
Herman J. Jewett, . . 1856 
William Brownell, . . 1856 
Charles M. Pelton, . . 1857 
Daniel R. Thompson, . 1858 
Eliphalet Buel, . . . 1859 
Dr. Elvy Deyo, . . . 1859 
James Alexander, . . 1863 
John H. Matthews, . 1865 
Warren Skinner, . . . 1869 
Henry L. Young, . . 1871 
Milton A. Fowler, . .1872 
Lewis D. Barnes, . . 1877 
Charles C. More, . . . 1879 
Marvin 0. Dutton, . . 1886 
John W. Pelton, . . . 1891 



80 



History. 



Deacons. 



EliasVan Bunscliooten, . 1716 
Pieter Parmeutier, . . 1716 
Johannes Van Kleeck, . 1718 
Jacobus Van den Bogoord, 1730 
Frans Le Roy, . . . .1721 
Louwerens Van Kleeck, 1721 
My ndert Van den Bogaar t, 1724 



Pieter Van Kleeck, 
Henry Van der Burgli, 
Henricus Pells, . . 
Johannes Tappen, . 
Abraham De Graef, . 
Francis Filkin, . . 
Gilbert Pealing, . . 
Pieter Vielen, . . 
Pytter Van Kleeck, . 
Pytter Laroy, . . 
Herri Libbeston, . . 
Augustenus Turk, . 
Simeon Freer, . . . 
Matthew Van Keuren, 
Johannes Lewis, . . 
TeunisVoos, . . . 
Hendrikus Hageman, 
Elias Du Bois, . . 
Roelof Oostrum, . . 
Abraham Swartwout, 
Damon Palmentier, . 
Johannes Rynders, 
William Cyffer, 
Moses Verfeele, . 
Isaac Hegeman, . 
John Kancklin, . 
Guleyn Ackerman, 
Jacobus De Graef, 
Johannes Freer, . 
Denie Oostrom, . 
David Ackerman, 
Jacobus Freer, . 
James Agmoedie, 
Isaac Van Bunschooten, 
Moses Degraef, . . 



1731 
1732 
1733 
1739 
1739 
1741 
1742 
1742 
1747 
1747 
1748 
1748 
1749 
1749 
1750 
1750 
1752 
1752 
1752 
1752 
1754 
1754 
1755 
1755 
1763 
1763 
1764 
1764 
1765 
1765 
3 766 
1766 
1767 
1767 
1768 



Hendrik Pels, . . . 1769 

Isaac Kool, 1769 

Jan Oostrom, . . . 1770 
Isaak Romeyn, . . . 1770 
Myndert Van Denbogart, 1774 
Henry S. Pells, . . . 1774 
Isaac Eomeyn, Jr., . . 1774 
Johan Barrack, . . . 1774 
Henry Livingston, . . 1777 
Jacob Low, .... 1777 
Garret Van Vliet, . . 1778 
Petrus Van Vliet, . . 1778 
Bernardus Swartwout, 1778 
Garret Van Bomel, . .1779 
Lucas Stoutenburgh, . 1779 
NicolauB Anthony, . . 1780 
Robert Hoffman, . . 1780 
Myndert Van Kleeck, . 1781 
Johannes Schryver, . 1781 
Isaac Conklin, . . . 1782 
Aaron Low, .... 1782 
Cornelius Westervelt, . 1783 
Wines Manny, . . . 1783 
Abraham Fort, . '. . 1783 
Benjamin Westervelt, . 1787 
Henry Livingston, Jr., . 1787 
Joost Westervelt, . . 1791 
Peter Connell, . . • 1791 
Peter Leroy, .... 1791 
Gabriel Ellison, . . .1792 
Jacob Duryee, . . . 1792 
Albert Scryver, . . .1793 
Cornelius Swartwout, . 1793 
Peter I. Vanderburg, . 1793 
Abraham Pells, . . . 1795 
Jacob K. Duryee, . .1795 
John Low, .... 1795 
John Stoutenburg, . .1796 
Bernardus Van Kleeck, 1797 
Hendrick Masten, . .1798 
Adrian Covenhoven, . 1798 
John L. Van Kleeck, .1799 



Deacons. 



81 



Paul Schenck, . 
Samuel Matthews, 
John Eogers, 
Michael Tomkins, 
John Pells, . . 
Abraham Van Wagener, 
Henry Barnes, . . 
Abraham G. Storms, 
Koelof Van Voorhees, 
Hendrick Wiltsey, 
Evert A. Pells, . . 
John M. Cook, 
Daniel Hebard, . 
Benjamin Howland, 
John H. Dubois, 
Peter A, Scryver, . 
Kobert Forrest, . 
David King, . . 
G-eorge T. Brinckerhofl, 
Thomas W. Tallmadge, 
Isaac H. Palmatier, 
Joshua Bishop, . . 

George Bloom, . . 

Halstead Price, 

Ezra Boughton, . . 

William Bell, . . 

Abraham Ver Valin, 

Peter Pells, . . 

Frederick Phelps, . 

Joseph Parmalee, 

Michael T. Heyser, . 

John Dearing, Jr., 

JohnC. VanValkenburgh, 

Eichard T. Van Wyck, 
George Swan, .... 
Abraham VanWagenen, 
Isaac Roosevelt, . . . 
David Ver Valin, . . 
Abraham Overbagh, . . 
Sidney M. Livingston, 
Peter H. Lawson, . . 
Amos T. De Groff, . . 
Jacob Boerum, . . . 



1799 
1801 
1801 
1804 
1805 
1805 
1809 
1809 
1809 
1810 
1810 
1810 
1811 
1811 
1811 
1812 
1812 
1813 
1813 
1814 
1814 
1814 
1815 
1815 
1816 
1817 
1818 
1818 
1820 
1821 
1822 
, 1822 



1823 
1823 
1824 
1824 
1825 
1825 
1826 
1826 
1827 
1828 
1831 



William Brownell, . . 1831 
Charles P. Adriance, . 1832 
Jacob Rowe, .... 1833 
William Broas, . . . 1835 
James W. Bogardus, . 1835 
Cornelius Westervelt, . 1835 
Ezekiel Jewell, . . . 1835 
Elisha L. Haley, . . . 1836 
Phillip Ostrander, . . 1836 
Aaron Low, .... 1838 
John Van Wvck, . . 1838 
Casper D. Smith, . . . 1839 
Abraham A. Davis, . 1839 
David C. Foster, . . ,1840 
Cornelius Cornell, . . 1840 
Daniel D. Jones, . . . 1841 
Elisha Conover, . . . 1842 
James Trivett, . . . 1842 
Herman J. Jewett, . 1842 
Isaac H. Coller, . . . 1843 
Albert Brett, . . . 1843 
Henry D. Varick, . . 1844 
Stephen Uhl, . . . 1844 
Charles M. Pelton, . . 1844 
William H. Bradley, . 1845 
David Boerum, . . .1845 
John Van Keuren, . . 1849 
John Hagaman, . . . 1850 
Norman M. Finlay, . 1850 
Dr. Elvy Deyo, . . . 1851 
Barnard D. Van Kleeck, 1852 
Daniel R. Thompson, . 1853 
David B. Lent, Jr., . 1854 
William Simmons, . . 1856 
John C. McNeil, . . 1856 
George W. Payne, . . 1858 
John R. Leslie, . . . 1858 
Jonathan Ransom, . . 1859 
Charles Carman, . . 1859 
Cornelius S. Van Wyck, 1860 
William H. Broas, . . 1861 
George B. Adriance, . . 1862 
Charles J. Howell, . 1862 
John K. Mandeville, . 1863 



62 



History. 



. . 1865 


L. F. Read, . . . 


. 1879 


. . 18G8 


J, Collins Pumpelly, . 


1880 


. . 1868 


Charles D. Johnson, . 


. 1880 


. . 1872 


Chester A, George, 


1881 


. . 1872 


James M. Hadden, . 


. 1882 


, . . 1873 


Marvin 0. Dutton, . . 


1885 


. . 1875 


George W. Polk, . . 


. 1886 


, . . 1877 


Henry E. Losey, . . 


1886 


. . 1878 


Charles R. Dickinson, 


. 1891 



Lewis D. Barnes, 
John W. Miller, . 
Milton A. Fowler, 
John V. H. Miller, 
John W. Pelton, 
Charles W. Bradley, 
Samuel W. Buck, 
Nathan D. Barrows, 
Charles C. More, 



SUNDAY SCHOOL. 

The American Sunday School Union was not organized 
until 1824, and at that time Sunday Schools were few, 
and by many excellent Christian people were looked 
upon with disfavor. They were regarded as an innova- 
tion, and even as a desecration of the Lord's Day. 

Reports of Sunday Schools in the Reformed Dutch 
churches do not aj^pear on the minutes of General 
Synod until 1835, when it was resolved that "the 
churches in our communion be earnestly solicited to be- 
stow increased diligence on the religious education of 
the young;" that the consistories "labor to render the 
Sabbath School institutions as profitable as may be, by 
correcting defects which may appear ; ' ' and ' ' that, for 
the sake of diffusing information on the interesting sub- 
ject, and of receiving the happy results of observation 
and experience, a report be made annually to the several 
Classes, of the manner in which the schools are con- 
ducted, the number of scholars belonging to them, the 
average attendance of the pupils, and the state of the 
school as it regards improvement in knowledge and 
piety, and that the substance of such report be embodied 
with the statistical reports of the churches on the 
minutes of the several Classes." 

The first report to Synod of the Sunday School of the 
Church of Poughkeepsie appears in the minutes of the 
Synod of 1839, (at which time Rev. Dr. Mann was the 



Sunday Scliool. 83 

pastor,) and states that the church had then but one 
school, and that the number of pupils was 165, and the 
average attendance 120. This, however, does not in- 
dicate the beginning of regular Sunday School work in 
the church, for in the minutes of the consistory appears 
an annual report to the Classis for 1825-6, which is 
signed by Rev. Dr. Cuyler, and states that ' ' Catecheti- 
cal exercises, prayer meetings, and Sabbath Schools 
have been maintained." So far as is known, this is the 
first mention of the Sunday School which occurs in the 
records of the church and from the phraseology it is 
evident that at that date there were several schools, 
(doubtless in different neighborhoods of the then scat- 
tered congregation,) and that one or more of them had 
been "maintained" for some time, (probably for some 
years,) prior to 1825. 

Many of the early records of the Sunday School itself 
have been lost, and those which remain are imperfect. 
They simply state the attendance from Sabbath to 
Sabbath, and do not contain either the minutes of the 
proceedings of teachers and officers, or any list of 
officers. 

It appears in them, incidentally, that Robert Forrest 
was superintendent in 1826, that John Thompson * was 
secretary in 1829 and 1830, that Jacob Rowe was super- 
intendent in 1835, E. L. Haley in 1837, and Robert For- 



* Many of the friends of the Hon. John Thompson in his later years will 
easily recognize his style in the latter of the following entries, which are in 
his own handwriting : — 

" Nov. 1, 1839. I entered this morning upon the duties of the office of 
secretary of the school, to which 1 have been appointed by its officers." 

John Thompson. 

"Feby 21, 1830. Weather very pleasant, and while the invigorating 
beams of the natural sun cheer and animate the inhabitants of earth, we can, 
at times, feel the beams of the sun of righteousness as they dawn upon the 
heart." 



84 History. 

rest again in 1839. Here there is a complete break in the 
records for several years. Members of the church, now 
of mature age, who, during those years, attended the 
Sunday School as teachers or scholars, state, from 
recollection, that it was then superintended by Jonathan 
Ransom, Aaron Low, and Henry D. Varick. 

After the break, the records are kept more systemat- 
ically, and show the following succession of superin- 
tendents : — 

Daniel R. Thompson, 1853-63. 

John H. Mathews, 1863-75. 

Henry S. Jewett, 1875-6. 

Milton A. Fowler, 1876- . 
At the date of the last annual report the total enroll- 
ment of the school was 354. 

CHURCH EDIFICES. 

The church has erected and occupied four edifices in 
succession. 

FiEST Edifice. 1723-1760. 

Steps towards the erection of the first edifice were 
taken soon after the organization of the church in 1716. 
In the earliest Church Masters' book are copies of 
subscription lists which were circulated in 1717, bearing 
(in Dutch) the following heading : — 

'* Whekeas, The neighbors and inhabitants of Poughkeepsie 
desire to build a house of the Lord at Poughkeepsie, the elders 
and deacons have deemed it advisable to ask every one of the 
Christian congregation what each shall be willing to give 
towards the building of the same, and so much here to 
subscribe."* 



* Nademael De Beure & in woondere van Pogkeepse genegen zyn Een 
buys Des Heeren te bouwen op Pogkeepse Soo heeft het De ouderlingen & 
Diakenen goed gedaght Een Eider van de Cristelike gemeente te versoeke 
wat Elleok Sal gelieven to geeven tot op bouen vant selve En Soo Veel hier 
onder te Tekene. 



Church Edifices. 85 

The subscriptions which are appended are partly in 
money and partly in days' work. The highest subscrip- 
tions in money are sixty guilders each. * The sum total 
in money amounted to 1,427 guilders. The sum total of 
days' work subscribed was 61, which were estimated at 
six guilders per day, and, therefore, as equivalent to 366 
guilders. 

There is also another list of subscriptions amounting 
to 648 guilders for the construction of the arched pulpit, 
" D0ophuisee,"t and magistrates' seats. 

In the same Church Masters' book is the following 
entry, (in Dutch) August, (day not specified) 1723. 

'' The places in the church are given out by the chosen 
Church Masters, Leonard Lewis, Barendt Van Kleeck and 
Pieter Palmetier, viz : — to every one herewith set down and to 
their heirs forever, also to their assigns being church members, 
and at the price as hereby set down, being for the payment of 
the cost of the building of the church. "J 

This is immediately followed by a list giving the 
names of persons, the number of sittings assigned to 



* Mr. Jonathan Pierson, in his History of the Church of Schenectady, 
says. (pp. 63 and 180,) " The money of accounts of the Dutch was the 
guilder or florin, and stuyver, 20 of the latter to one of the former. There 
were the guilder sewant, (wampum,) and the guilder beaver ; the latter, of 
the value of about 40 cents, or three times that of the former. The guilder 
of accounts was commonly valued at one shilling New York currency." 

In the books of the church of Poughkeepsie at about 1740 the guilder 
disappears, and the accounts are in pounds, shillings and pence, New York 
currency — the pound being equal to $2.50. 

t '« Doophuisje," (literally, "Little Baptism House,") was the name 
used to designate the space between the pulpit and the raihng in front of it, 
in which the minister stood administering the sacrament of baptism. 

t Aug., 1723. De plaetsen in De Kerck Zyn uyt gegeven door de Ver- 
korene Kerkmeesters Leonard Lewis, Barendt Van Kleeck & pieter palmetier. 
viz. Aen Een Eider Neven gestelt en aen haer Erfgename Voor Ewigh ook 
aen haer Assigneurs Zynde Lederaate, en tot De preis als hier by gestelt 
zynde tot voldoening van de oncoste van De Kerckt Bouen. 



86 History. 

each, the number of the bench or pew in which the 
sittings were located, and the ijrices of the sittings. 

A little later in the same book appears the following 
receipt, in English ; so curious that it is worthy of tran- 
scription : — 

1724, April 23. Wie unther weritten William Eimis & John 
Slater acknowledge to be fully Satesfied and paid for all the 
Joyners work Dun to the Church that is for the arch Pulput 
Doway Cannupe and all the Sects made in the Church the sum 
of Sexty pound 95 by Coll. Leonard Lewis, Capt. Barent Van 
Kleeck and Mr. Pieter Palmetier as Witness our hands. 

William Ennis, 
John Slatek. 

From the foregoing extracts, it is evident that subscrip- 
tions for the building of the first house of worship were 
obtained in 1717, that the house was completed and 
occupied in 1723, (eight years before the coming of the 
first pastor,) and that in 1724 the bill for work done to 
the interior of the house had been presented and paid. 

Concerning the location of this first edifice many wild 
and unfounded assertions have hitherto been made. Mr. 
Smith, in his History of Dutchess County, asserts that it 
was on the north side of Main street. Even so careful 
a historian as Mr. Benson J . Lossing, in a paper read in 
Poughkeepsie before the Young Men's Christian Associa- 
tion, on the evening of November 13, 1876, and published 
in the Dutchess Farmer of December 12, 1876, asserted 
that the edifice " stood on the north side of Main street, 
a little east of the Poughkeepsie Hotel, where its burying 
ground may yet be seen." ^ Mr. Henry Dubois Bailey, 
in his Historical Sketches, published in Fishkill in 1874, 
says (p. 297) that it "stood in the centre of what is 
now known as Market Street." 

*Mr. Smith and Mr. Lossing doubtless had in mind the second edifice, 
(concerning which their assertion as to location is true,) and were not aware 
that there had been another preceding it. 



Church Edifices. 87 

All these assertions are erroneous, as appears from the 
following evidence, by which the location of the church 
is determined beyond question. 

First, is the deed dated December 26, 1716, by which 
Jacobus Van den Bogert conveyed to Barent Van Kleeck 
and others a piece or lot of ground " for the proper and 
only use, benefitt and behoof of the Inhabitance and 
Naberhood of pochkepsen aforesaid to bild and maentaen 
a proper Mieteng hous to worship the one and Thriee- 
onely God according to the Ruels and Methods as it is 
agried and Concludett by the Sinode National kept at 
Dordregt in the year 1618 and 1619, and that in the 
Neder Dutch Lingoo." 

The lot thus conveyed is described as " Scituated 
Lyieng and being in pochkeepseng " and "butted and 
Boundett on the Nort Sid to the Rood that runs to the 
Bastard" and " on the west along the Rood that runs to 
the Sout" and as " a Corner Lott in Lenght one hun- 
derid and fifty foot and in breth one hunderid and fifty 
foot, beieng a four squaer Lodt." 

The " Rood to the Bastard," thus given as one bound- 
ary, is now Main street, and the "Rood to the Sout," 
given as another boundary, is now Market street and 
the corner lot thus conveyed is on the corner of Main 
and Market streets opposite to the Court House, and 
is that on which the City National Bank and some 
adjoining buildings now stand. The lot was given for 
the express purpose of building a meeting house thereon. 
The church had then no other piece of land on which to 
build, and as the work of building was begun soon after 
the conveyance of the lot, it must be inferred that the 
edifice was built on that lot. 

Second, That this inference is correct is proven by 
another deed, dated June 16, 1756^ by which Peter Van 
Kleeck conveyed to Gale Yelverton a lot with thirty 



88 History. 

yards frontage, on the north side of what is now Main 
street, and in the deed is called "The East Lane." 
The lot thus conveyed was afterwards (1760) con- 
veyed to the church and is known to be the thirty 
yards on the north side of Main street adjoining and 
east of the Nelson House Annex, formerly the Pough- 
keepsie Hotel. It is directly opposite to the corner of 
Market and Main streets. But, in the deed referred to, 
this lot is described as being "Opposite to the North 
end of the church." It follows that the north end of 
the church was opj^osite to the lot described, and this 
locates the church on or near the corner of Market and 
Main streets. 

Third, The southern and eastern boundaries of the 
corner lot on which the church stood have remained 
unchanged, and are well known at the present time, and, 
by measurements from them, it appears that the lot, as 
originally conveyed, extended westward about eleven 
feet beyond the line of the curbstone of Market street 
at the corner of Main, and northward about the same 
distance beyond the line of the curbstone in Main street. 
In other words, in the widening of the old South Road 
into the present Market street, and of the old East Lane 
into the present Main street, a strip about eleven feet 
wide, plus the sidewalk, has been cut off from each of 
those two sides of the lot. 

It is thus evident, from documents of unquestioned 
authority, that the first edifice stood on a lot one hun- 
dred and fifty feet square on the corner of Main and 
Market streets, with one end towards Main street, and 
that, if it was built on or near the western line of the lot, 
it may have covered a few feet of what is now Market 
street. 

Concerning the materials of which it was constructed 
the records give no direct information. The accounts, 



Church Edifices. 89 

« 

however, show that payments were made for himber, 
and nails, and a lime kiln, and make no mention of 
brick. Hence, it may be inferred, with a good degree of 
certainty, that the material was not brick ; that it may 
possibly have been wood ; but that more probably it was 
stone. 

The following extracts show conclusively that the edi- 
fice was supplied with a gallery, that a new gallery was 
constructed about 1741, that the church was at the same 
time newly roofed, and that while the seats on the main 
floor were rented, those in the gallery were free. 

"November, A. D. 1741. Then are these expenses incurred 
by the congregation for roofing the church and making a new 
gallery therein."* 

The items immediately follow, and among them is a 
charge of six shillings for two " pilaren" (pillars). 

November, A. D. 1741, Hereunder stand the persons sub- 
scribed what they have promised for to roof the church and a 
free gallery for the Congregation. "f (The list of subscriptions 
follows.) 

A rudely drawn plan of the ground floor of the edifice 
is found on page 44 of the Church Masters' book, and a 
reduced copy of it is presented on the following page. 

From this it appears that there were 26 pews, exclusive 
of the benches or pews along the walls, three being on 
either side of the pulj)it, and two lines of ten each in 
front of the pulpit, and separated by the single aisle. 
The narrow space, about midway in the j^lan, probably 
represents a cross aisle, giving access to the seats along 
the wall. One of the pews against the wall is, in the 



* Novemr Annog domini 1741 dan is dese onkosten vande ghemeiiten ghe- 
dan an de Kerk hem te decken ende een neuwe galdery in te maken. 

t Novemr Annog domini 1741 hier onder stan de personen onder ghetickent 
wat sei Beloft hebben voor de Kerk te decken ende een vrije Galdery vor de 
gemente. 



90 



History. 



GROUND PLAN OF FIRST EDIFICE. 



Church Edifices. ^1 

plan, marked " Justises Gestoelte " i.e. "Magistrates' 
Pew," and there is record of payment for tlie hinges 
and lock on its door.* 

From this plan an approximate estimate can be made 
of the dimensions of this first edifice. Allowing three 
feet for each pew, (which, however, is a very liberal 
estimate,) it was about 40 to 50 feet long and about 30 
feet wide. Mr. Henry Dubois Bailey, in his "Historical 
Tales and Sketches," thus describes it. "The material 
of which the church was built was stone, with a hipped 
roof, and a moderate tower in front. The tower extend- 
ed above the peak of the roof a short distance, and there 
the bell was suspended, and over the same was a small, 
tapering spire, and surmounting that was the rooster." 
In a recent interview, Mr. Bailey informed the writer 
that this description was based on what purj)orted to be 
a wood cut of the edifice, seen by him in a collection of 
the antiquarian relics of Dutchess County, which was on 
exhibition in Poughkeepsie some forty years ago. Of 
the ultimate fate of the first edifice we have no cer- 
tain knowledge. There is record of its repair in 1760. 
One of the deeds above quoted shows that it was stand- 
ing in 1756. An entry in the records, dated February 
15, 1760, speaks of its walls as fallen, but says nothing 
of the cause or manner of their fall. 

Second Edifice. 1760P-1822. 

The entry just referred to, and dated February 15, 
1760, informs us that the consistory had resolved to 
build another House of the Lord, and called on the con- 
gregation to subscribe for its erection. 

The consistory aj)pointed, as the builders of the new 
edifice, Boudewyn Lacounte, Elias Van Benschoten, 



* 1 pr hengelses en slootje voor de Justeses Stoel 6-0. 



93 History. 

Leonard Van Kleeck, and James Livingston, with in- 
structions to look to the consistory for money, to receive 
estimates from the consistory how far they should 
proceed in the building from time to time, and to render 
account to the consistory every three months. It was 
also stipulate'd that the pews should be given out by the 
casting of lots, and that every subscriber should have 
credit for the sum subscribed on the cost of his pew. 

The sums subscribed range from ten shillings to twelve 
pounds. 

The records do not enable us to determine when this 
second edifice was completed. It was built on a lot on 
the north side of Main street, (then called East Lane,) 
conveyed by Gale Yelverton by a deed dated October 25, 
1760. 

Its location is clearly shown on a map of the homestead 
of Baltus Van Kleeck, which was made by Henry 
Livingston in May, 1800, and is in the Records of the 
Office of the County TQlerk. On this map the church is 
depicted as standing on the north side of Main street, 
(then called East street,) directly opposite to the east 
side of Market street, (then called the Stage Road or 
Main street.) There the grave stones still standing 
indicate the adjoining burial ground, and there, a few 
years ago, the remnants of the walls of the church could 
be distinctly traced. There are a few still living who 
worshipped in it, and it is described by them as built of 
stone, and standing some twenty or thirty yards back 
from the line of the street, and fronting south, towards 
Main street. 

Of the interior of this edifice there is, in one of the 
church books, a plan, drawn by Dr. Livingston in 1782 
of which a reduced copy is given on the following page. 

The plan shows that on the ground floor there were 
three aisles and 36 pews, exclusive of the two reserved 



Church Edifices. 



93 



PLAN OF GROUND FLOOR AND GALLERY OF THE SECOND EDIFICE. 



94 History. 

for the elders and deacons, and in the gallery, 18 pews, 
making 56 pews in all. Notes in the book, accompanying 
the plan, show that the pews contained 386 sittings, and 
that one of the pews was reserved for the " Magistrates." 
This second edifice remained standing until 1822, when 
it was taken down, partly because it had become much 
out of repair, and partly because it was inadequate to 
the wants of the growing congregation. 

Third Edifice. 1822-1857. 

• On the 9th of January, 1822, the consistory earnestly 
recommended to the congregation to cooperate with them 
in building a new church, and requested the congrega- 
tion to convene at the church on Monday, January 28th, 
for the purpose of taking the same into serious con- 
sideration. 

The congregation met on the day appointed, and 
adopted the following resolutions : — 

' ' Resolved, Unanimously, that this meeting agree that 
it is necessary to build a new church." 

'^Resolved, That this building committee consist of 
five persons." 

' ' Resolved, That this committee consist of Robert 
Forrest, Abraham G. Storm, Henry A. Livingston, 
Joseph t*armalee, and John V. B. Varick." 

It was also ''Resolved, That the new church be 
located on the ground occupied by the Church now 
standing" ; but at a subsequent meeting of the congre- 
gation, held two months later, (March 6th, 1822,) this 
resolution was reconsidered, and it was " Resolved, un- 
animously, that the New Church be erected on the east 
side of the parsonage lot." 

In the two months intervening the old church must 
have been so far taken down as to be unfit for occupancy, 



Church Edifices. 95 

for at the meeting held March 6, 1822, the consistory 
appointed a committee to make apj)lication to the 
supervisors for permission to use the court room "for the 
performing of public worship." The permission was 
granted, and without compensation. 

The corner stone of the new edifice was laid May 6th. 
1822, on which occasion an address was delivered by 
Rev, Cornelius C. Cuyler, who was then the pastor of the 
church. 

At a meeting of consistory, held December 16, 1822, 
Col. Henry A. Livingston, in behalf of the building 
committee, reported that they had finally completed the 
new church and delivered the keys for the church ; — 
whereupon the consistory, on the part of themselves and 
of the congregation, returned their most cordial thanks 
to the building committee "for the intelligent, un- 
wearied, and economical manner in which they had 
fulfilled their duties," and also to the supervisors of 
Dutchess county "for their kindness in granting to the 
congregation, free of rent or charge, the use of the court 
room for holding public worship." 

The dedication took place December 24, 1822. The 
dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. Cuyler, 
from the text, Exodus 20 : 24, " In all places where I 
record my name, I will come unto thee and I will bless 
thee." Both the sermon, and the address at the laying 
of the corner-stone, were published by request of the 
consistory, and copies of the pamphlet are still extant, 
bearing the imprint of P. Potter, Poughkeepsie, and the 
date, 1823. 

This third edifice was of brick, stood where the pres- 
ent edifice stands, and resembled it much in size and 
architecture, except that the tower was in the center of 
the north end, instead of on the corner. This appears 
from a photograph, taken soon after the building was 



96 History, 

burned, and while the walls and tower were still stand- 
ing. 

As originally constructed, the pulpit had over it a 
sounding board, and was at the north end of the church, 
where, also, were the main entrances, so that late comers, 
on entering, faced the congregation. 

In 1854 the interior was renovated and, as part of the 
renovation, a new pulpit was built, at the rear end of the 
church, and without the sounding board. 

This edifice was occupied until Sunday, January 18, 
1857, when it was destroyed by fire. The fire was dis- 
covered soon after the conclusion of the morning service. 
The following contemporaneous description is taken 
from the Weekly Eagle of January 24, 1857. 

FEAEFUL FIRE. 

On Sunday last, at about half past twelve o'clock, in the midst 
of a strong north wind and cold almost unendurable, our citi- 
zens were alarmed by the ring of an alarm of pike ! As it is 
difficult to conceive of circumstances more fearful, there was a 
prompt rally from all quarters, when it was found that the 
roof of the First Dutch Eeformed church was on fire. The 
firemen rushed to the rescue with their machines, but, as the 
hydrants were partially frozen, there was some delay before 
water could be obtained. In the meantime the flames were 
increasing with fearful rapidity in the roof of the church, 
fanned to a fury by the continuous blasts of wind. 

When things were ready, one heroic fireman started up the 
long ladder planted on the east side, to take up the pipe to the 
roof, and thus play on the fire, but the cold was so intense it 
was doubtful if he could live there twenty minutes, and the 
hose was so slippery with ice it was impossible for the assistants 
to hold it up. So eiforts to save the church had to be aban- 
doned, and attention directed to the buildings around that were 
in great danger from the sparks of fire and burning shingles 
that were flying in all directions. Fortunately, all the roofs 
had more or less snow on them, which greatly aided in saving, 
so that they were soon rendered practically secure from the 
imminent danger that first threatened them. 



CTitirch Edifices. 97 

As the fire progressed, the sight became fearful and sublime, 
if not terrible in the extreme. The entire roof, being composed 
of wood, cedar shingles laid on pine backing, sent up a mass of 
red flames, crackling and roaring in the wind, the extent and 
grandeur of which can hardly be imagined. But the greatest 
sight of all was the burning steeple. As the flames got 
hold of that they ascended with a rapidity that occupied but a 
few minutes until the red volume shot up beyond the ball and 
vane at the summit, presenting a fearful column of fire ascend- 
ing far up towards the clouds. Above and below, all was flame 
and smoke for a short time ; but soon the lower timbers that 
supported the steeple were burnt away, and then down came 
the lofty spire with a tremendous crash, carrying what re- 
mained of the burning roof with it down to the interior of the 
church. There the mass of burning material was so great that 
the entire space inside the walls which fortunately stood, 
seemed filled with flames until ten at night, although several 
streams of water were steadily poured in by the engines. 

Although the loss in this instance falls on those well able to 
bear it, it was a sad sight to see the noble edifice burn. It had 
been thoroughly repaired and renovated but little more than a 
year ago, at an expense of between four and five thousand dol- 
lars, making the loss some $18,000. As the flames consumed 
the steeple, we almost fancied we could see the venerable Dr. 
Cuyler and his friends, and others, who were prominent 
among us in 1822, gathered around us to witness the destruction. 

The old bell and clock perished with the rest. The insurance 
was but $6,000. 

The firemen exerted themselves with a heroism that was 
worthy of all praise. Several of them were considerably injured 
by freezing. 

The church had been on fire twice before, on the 4th of July, 
1832,* and again on the 4th of July, 1843, m both of which 
instances it narrowly escaped destruction, the roof being fired 
by crackers thrown from the steeple. 

As to the origin of the fire, we have no doubt it proceeded 
from a defect in the chimney. 



* With respect to the fire of 1832, the universal and concurrent testimony 
of local survivors is, that on July 4th of that year, the son of the pastor, 
Dr. Cuyler, and some other lads, all brimfull of patriotism, contrived to get 
access to the steeple and gave vent to their patriotism by throwing fire 
crackers in all directions from the windows in the steeple. Some of the fire 
crackers lodged on the roof of the church, and thus the fire originated. 



08 History. 

To add to the fearful events of the day, the alarms of fire 
were twice renewed, once between four and five p. m. and again 
at about eight in the evening. But it proved, in both cases, 
that the alarm was given in consequence of the fearful rekind- 
ling of the first fire, creating new dangers. When the last 
alarm was given, the storm had commenced with all its vio- 
lence, so that, take all the events together, this day is one that 
will not be forgotten while the present generation of men lasts. 

In the same paper it is said, in another column, — 

Sunday was probably the coldest day known in this latitude 
for a century. At daylight, the thermometer stood at 18 de- 
grees below zero, with a strong cutting wind from the north 
that was hardly endurable ; at twelve at noon, it stood at 13 
below ; at three p. m., at 18 below ; at five p. m., at 20 below, 
and all this in a clear day. 

At between seven and eight, a violent snow storm set in from 
the northeast, with a stiff breeze, which soon increased to a 
furious gale or almost hurricane, which continued through the 
entire night and until near ten o'clock on Monday morning. 

The writer has been informed, by some who were 
present, that on the morning of the fire, Rev. Charles A. 
Evans, a Presbyterian clergyman, was in the pulpit with 
the pastor. Rev. Dr. Mann, and had the chief conduct of 
the services. In his prayer was a petition that the 
church might become " a burning and a shining light" 
in the community, and not a few of the congregation, 
remembering the petition, expressed surprise that it 
should have been answered so soon, and in such an un- 
expected manner. The metal of the bell was recast into 
hand bells which were subsequently sold at a Ladies' 
Fair, held for the raising of funds for an organ in the 
new church. This was the first pipe organ owned by 
the church. The instrument used in the church that 
was burned was a small reed organ. 

Fourth Edifice. 1857. 

At the first meeting of the consistory after the fire, 
held January 23, 1857, communications were received 



Church Edifices. 99 

from the Second Reformed church, the Presbyterian 
chnrch, the Lafayette Street Baptist church, and Christ 
church, kindly tendering the use of their houses of 
worship to the congregation of the First Reformed 
church until the edifice of the latter should be rebuilt. 

The consistory returned their cordial thanks to each 
of the said churches for their warm sympathy, and, 
after some deliberation, it was unanimously resolved 
that the invitation of the Second Reformed church be 
accepted. It was furthermore resolved that a new 
church shall be built on the old lot. » 

The corner-stone of the new edifice was laid August 
25, 1857, with appropriate ceremony, and addresses by 
Rev. Samuel A. Van Vranken, D.D., and Rev. Cor- 
nelius Van Cleef, D.D. 

In the corner-stone were deposited the three plates 
taken from the corner-stone of the old church, erected 
in 1822, and bearing the following inscriptions : 

1st Plate. — Names of the persons who compose the consistory 
of the Reformed Dutch church, Poughkeepsie, April, 1832 : 

ELDERS. DEACONS. 

Robert Forrest, Peter A. Scriver, 

Henry Barnes, Joseph Parmalee, 

Simeon De Groff, George Bloom, 

William Bell, Frederic Phelps, 

John V. B. Varick, Abraham Ver Valen, 

Hendrick Wiltsie. Peter Pells. 
Rev. C. C. Cuyler. 

2ml Plate. — Rev. C. 0. Cuyler, born loth February, 1783, 
ordained and installed 3nd January, 1809. This was deposited 
May 6th/ 1822. 

Srd Plate. — Names of the committee chosen by the congrega- 
tion of the Dutch church to build a house for the worship of 
God: 

Poughkeepsie, April, 1822. 



100 History. 

COMMITTEE. 

Kobert Forrest, . John V. B. Varick, Joseph Parmalee, 

Henry A. Livingston and Abraham G. Storm. 

There were also deposited plates prepared for the 
occasion, and other articles as follows : 

1st Plate.— ReY. C. C. Cuyler, D.D., dismissed December 17, 
1833. 

Eev. Samuel A. Van Vranken, D.D., installed September, 
1834 ; dismissed December 15, 1837. 

Kev. Alexander M, Mann, D.D., installed May, 1838 ; dis- 
missed June 17, 1857. 

2nd Plate.— Consi&tory of the First Reformed Dutch church : 

ELDERS. DEACONS. 

Cornelius Westervelt, Daniel R. Thompson, 

William Broas, Elvy Deyo, 

Henry D. Varick, William Simmons, 

Herman J. Jewitt. J. C. McNeil, 

John Van Keuren, 
David B. Lent, Jr. 

3rd Plate. — Building committee : 

George Innis, Herman J. Jewitt, 

William Simmons, Henry D. Varick, 

David C. Foster, William Broas, 

Charles Carman, James H. Warner. 

Architect — L. A. Gouch. 
Builder — Samuel W. Hester. 

June 1, 1857. 

Map of the village of Poughkeepsie. 
Poughkeepsie City Directory, 1856-57. 

Poughkeepsie Eagle, January 24, 1857, containing an account 
of the destruction of the old church by fire. 
Poughkeepsie Telegraph, August 25, 1857. 
Daily City Press, August 25, 1857. 
Poughkeepsie Eagle, August 22, 1857. 
Poughkeepsie Examiner, August 27, 1857. 
Dutchess County Times (Fishkill), August 22, 1857. 
Ulster County Gazette, January 4, 1800. 
Christian Intelligencer, August 13, and 20, 1857. 



Parsonages. 101 

By-Laws, Eules and Regulations of Ponghkeepsie Rural 
Cemetery. 

Charter, Ordinances and By-Laws of the City of Poughkeepsie, 
1854. 

A sealed deposit by George Van Kleeck. 

General Synod's Report on Foreign Mission, adopted June, 

1857, with an appeal to the churches. 
Specifications for the building of this church. 

The churcli was dedicated on Taesday, September 7, 

1858. The sei-mon was preached by Rev. George W. 
Bethune, D.D., then the pastor of the church on Brook- 
lyn Heights, and the other services were conducted by 
Rev. C. Van Cleef, D.D., Rev. C. S. Hageman, D. D., 
and Rev. J. R. Berry, D.D. The Rev. George M. Mc- 
Eckron was installed as pastor on the evening of the 
same day. The edifice thus dedicated is the one which 
is still standing and in use by the congregation. As 
originally built, it was adorned with a lofty spire, but in 
1878 the spire was pronounced unsafe by reason of the 
decay of some of its frame-work, and was consequently 
taken down. In 1887 the roof and other portions of the 
exterior were repaired and the interior was renovated. 

PARSONAGES. 

First Paesonage, 1732-1790. 

W^hen the united congregations of Poughkeepsie and 
Fishkill sent to Holland their first call for a minister 
(April 13, 1730), the church edifice in Poughkeepsie had 
already been erected and in use for about eight years. 
In neither place, however, was there a parsonage. 
Therefore in the call was inserted this promise to his 
Reverence: "He shall reside either in Poughkeepsie, 
or in Fishkill, or there-about, as shall be found most fit 
and to his best satisfaction, and in such place both con- 
gregations shall, at the first opportunity, build for him 



102 History. 

a suitable dwelling, and from time to time shall keep it 
in good repair." 

On the 4th of October, 1731, four days after the arrival 
in Poughkeepsie of the first minister, Cornelius Van 
Schie, the two consistories held a joint meeting in 
Poughkeepsie, and resolved: "Whenever Dominie Van 
Schie shall have chosen to reside at Poughkeepsie or at 
the Fishkill, there, where he chooses to live, both con- 
gregations together, (each bearing half of the expense,) 
shall buy six acres, build a house, and make a garden, 
and plant an orchard, in accordance with the stipula- 
tions on these points made in the power of attorney 
caU." 

Dominie Van Schie selected Poughkeepsie as his 
place of residence, and there, in fulfillment of their 
promise, the two congregations bought the land on part 
of which the present church edifice and parsonage stand, 
and on it built the first parsonage. It was probably 
finished in 1732. In a call sent to Holland, and dated 
April 20, 1734, it is described as "A new and suitable 
residence, forty-five feet long and twenty-seven broad, 
having three rooms, and a study upstairs, a large cellar 
under the house, a well with good water, a garden, and 
an orchard planted with 100 fruit trees." 

It was occupied by Dominie Van Schie until his de- 
parture to Albany in 1733. Then came an interval of 
twelve years during which the church was without a 
pastor, and the records show that for some, and possibly 
for all, of these years, the parsonage was rented to one 
John Constable at three pounds a year, from which, how- 
ever, was to be deducted the amount expended by Con- 
stable in keeping the house in repair. * 



* Juni der eerste dagh Annog domini een duisent seven hondert en 
vertigh en een, dan heb ick Johannis van Kleek gherecent met John Con- 



Parsonages. 103 

On the arrival of Dominie Meynema, in 1745, it was 
occupied by him ; and, in the calls to his successors, 
Van Nist and Schoonmaker, it is designated as "the 
house in which Dominie Meynema had lived." 

Subsequent to the departure of Mr. Schoonmaker, in 
1774, no mention of the first parsonage has been dis- 
covered in the records. It probably stood until about 
1790. JSTeither do the records give any clear information 
concerning its precise location on the parsonage lot and 
the materials of which it was built ; with the exception 

stable van de huer van dominis huis en Besids de onkosten blift Constable 
Schuldigh de somma van . . £1-17-0 

Translation. — June, the first day, Anno Domini one thousand seven hun- 
dred and forty-one, have I, Johannes Van Kleek, reckoned with John Con- 
stable for the rent of the Dominie's house and besides the charges. Constable 
still owes the sum of £1-17-0 

On the page opposite to the above entry is the following : 

De huer van et huis is drie pont jaers. 

Juni de 8 dagh, Annog 1741, dan broght John Constable zyn Rekenen wat 
hy van oncosten had tegen et huis. 

to 6 Busals Callick © 4/6 an riye © 6 p, . . . .. £0-5-0 
to William herris for majen of an oven, . ^ . . . . 0-10-0 

an eeten en drenken ® 3/6, 0-2-6 

an Frans Filkin zyn niger voor 3 dagen, 0-4-0 

an cost nog ©1/ 0-1-0 

an oven voren betalt 'S 6 p., 0-0-6 

£1-3-0 

Translation. — The rent of the house is three pounds a year. 

June 8, 1741. Then John Constable brought his account of his charges 
against the house. 

To 6 bushels Ume 4/6 and cartage /6, £0-5-0 

To "William Harris for making an oven, 0-10-0 

To eating and drinking 3/6 0-2-6 

To Frans Filkin for his negro 3 days, 0-4-0 

To sundries 1/- 0-1-0 

To paid before on oven /6, 0-0-6 

£1-3-0 



104 History. 

that there is in existence a paper which shows that, 
when the second parsonage was built, a new cellar was 
dug, from which it must be inferred that the location of 
the second parsonage, (which was also that of the third,) 
was different from that of the first. This inference is 
corroborated by a map in the office of the Secretary of 
State in Albany, entitled "Map of the lands of Pongh- 
keepsie as they are held under the patent of Saunders 
and Heermance, surveyed pursuant to a warrant dated 
January 23, 1770." On this map the parsonage is rep- 
resented as situated on the south side of what is now 
Main street and a short distance back from the line of 
the street. In other words, its location is represented as 
having been a little south of that of the present parson- 
age. 

Second Parsonage, 1794-1844. 

About 1774 the union of the two churches of Pough- 
keepsie and Fishkill was dissolved by mutual consent. 
The original agreement (October 4, 1731) had been that 
if such dissolution should ever take place, then, inas- 
much as the glebe and parsonage were the joint property 
of both congregations, the congregation retaining them 
in sole possession should pay to the other the just half 
of their appraised value. The just half was paid by the 
congregation of Poughkeepsie to the congregation of 
Fishkill, as api3ears from a paper in possession of the 
church, and headed, "An abstract from the subscrip- 
tion list of the subscribers towards purchasing half of 
the glebe or parsonage in Poughkeepsie from the con- 
gregation of Fishkill, dated June 8th, 1790." 

The congregation of Poughkeepsie, having thus ac- 
quired sole possession of the glebe, began to build upon 
it a new parsonage in 1791, and finished it not later than 
1794. In evidence of this there are : 



Parsonages. 105 

First — A contract for work to be done on the " parrich 
house" dated August 27, 1791.* 

Second — A bUl headed "Minister's House Dr. to 
Myndert Van Kleeck," amounting to 81 pounds, 7 shil- 
lings and 7 pence, for labor and building materials, and 
' running through the years 1791-3, and ending May 11, 
1794. t 

Third— A paper dated May 10, 1793, headed " An 
abstract from the subscription list for building the 
minister's house belonging to the Dutch church of 
Poughkeepsie." 

Fourth — A subscription list dated April 7, 1794, for 
"the completing of the parsonage house, and the im- 
provement of the lot whereon it stands. 

Fifth — The minutes of the consistory from 1792 to the 
end of 1793, in which frequent mention is made of the 
parsonage as in process of construction. This was dur- 
ing the pastorate of Rev. Andrew Gray. 

In the call made to his successor, Rev. Cornelius 
Brower, February 1, 1794, the use of the parsonage 
house is offered as one of the inducements to acceptance. 
At that date, therefore, it was finished and ready for 
occupancy. This second parsonage is remembered by 
not a few still living, for it stood until 1844. 

It is described by Dr. Mann, who lived in it during 
the last seven years of its existence, as being, at that time, 
a very old and uncouth structure, built of wood, witli 
low ceilings, standing precisely on the location of the 

* 1791, August 37. 1 Isaac Romine Agreaed with peter Tappen for the 
parrich house the Seler To Be 44 By 21 feet 2 Store hye, 1 Shimble at Ech 
End Each one to Be Dubeld Smok, 2 Romes Below and a gang Below aBove 
the same to B Seld and plasterd. I am to have, . . , £30 - - 

and find my Self. 

t The first and last items of this bill are : 
Aug. 11, 1791. To 2 Gallons of Rum for digging the Seller 'S) 6/6, 13-0 
May 11, 1794. To 1 pair Hinges pr Swartwot for . . . .7-0 



106 Bistory. 

present parsonage, but with the gable end to the street, 
having its front entrance on the east towards the church, 
and a hall running from east to west, and an entrance to 
the yard, from the street, of seven or eight stone steps. 

Third Parsonage, 1844. 

At a meeting of consistory, held April 15, 1844, there 
was presented a petition, signed by 113 names, re- 
questing that the consistory take into consideration the 
expediency, propriety, and necessity of building a new 
parsonage. An adjourned meeting of consistory was 
held on the next day, for the purpose of considering the 
petition, and it was then 

'■^ Mesolved^ that the consistory deem it necessary, 
either to erect a new parsonage, or to repair and refit 
the present one ; but the consistory do not feel them- 
selves warranted in assuming the responsibility of doing 
either, until they have a free expression of the members 
of the congregation." 

'■^ Iiesolt)ed, that a meeting of the male members of the 
church be called on Monday next, at 10 o'clock a. m,, 
in the lecture room, for the purpose of obtaining their 
views with respect to a new parsonage." 

At the meeting of the male members of the congre- 
gation thus called, and held at the time appointed, 
(April 15, 1844,) it was '•'•Resolved^ that, in the opinion of 
this meeting, a new parsonage, suitable for the accommo- 
dation of our pastor and his family, is absolutely neces- 
sary, and ought to be erected as speedily as possible." 

On May 21, 1844, proposals were presented, and on the 
day following it was '■'' Itesolved^ that the proposal of 
Mr. Henry Tittamer, of twenty-nine hundred and fifty 
dollars for building a parsonage house, agreeably to the 
plan and specifications estimated upon, (it being the 
lowest estimate handed in,) be accepted ; and that the 



Language. lOl' 

building committee be authorized to enter into a con- 
tract with him to do the work, as therein set forth and 
specified, for the above amount." 

The building committee appointed consisted of five 
members ; three from the congregation, and two from the 
consistory. The three from the congregation were John 

B. Forbus, David H. Barnes, and James H. Allen. The 
two from the consistory were Isaac H. Coller, and David 

C. Foster. 

Just six months after their appointment, (Nov. 22, 
1844,) this committee met at the parsonage house, then 
completed, and unanimously agreed to receive said 
house, and pay for the same, agreeably to contract, and 
their report to that effect was presented to the consis- 
tory and approved December 2, 1844. 

The house thus received is the brick parsonage now 
standing on Main Street west of the church. 

LANaUAGE. 
At the time of the organization of the church the 
mother tongue of nearly all the inhabitants of the region 
was the Dutch, and therefore in that language the first 
ministers preached, and the earliest records of the church 
were written. But, from the final end of Dutch rule, and 
the beginning of English supremacy in 1674, the 
language of the law and the government had been the 
English, and there is evidence that, even in the earliest 
years of the existence of the church, at least some of its 
members were not unacquainted with that language. 
Some of the earliest of the receipts preserved are in 
English, and there is a record in English of at least one 
instance of English preaching, as far back as 1740.* 

* Ano 1740. Sunday ye 19 of October, Mr. Robertson an English pres- 
peterian minister preched and Mr. Abraham De Graeff and I Colected from 
ye people and In ye Contribution we gott in all the sum of sixteen shillings 
& i penny and we offered it to Mr. Robertson but he refused it. 



108 History. 

The records, however, are almost exclusively in Dutch 
until the ministry of Dr. Livingston, which began in 
1781, and ended in 1783. Then, for the first time, the 
English begins to appear to any noticeable extent, and, 
so far as the records are concerned, with the close of his 
ministry the Dutch totally disappears. A new book of 
records was begun by his successor, Mr. Gray, and of 
this book the contents are exclusively in English, with 
the exception of the title, which is in Latin. 

With respect to the change of language in public wor- 
ship, the heading of the subscription paj)er for the 
calling of Rev. Andrew Gray shows that preaching in 
Dutch and English was desired and stipulated for in 
1790. * The following also appears in the minutes of 
consistory, June 5, 1793 : 

" The consistory having taken into consideration the great 
declension of the Dutch Language, and conceiving that, by 
continuing the service in that Language so frequently as hereto- 
fore observed, would not only be injurious to the edification of 
the Congregation at large, but tend rather to its decrease than 
growth.'' 

" The Consistory therefore direct, that henceforward the 
Service be performed in the Dutch Language every third Lord's 
Day in the forenoon, and service at all other time in the 
English Tongue." 

From the action thus taken, it is evident that even 
then, the English language had been for some years en- 
croaching upon and displacing the Dutch. In the call 
which was extended to Mr. Brouwer, less than one year 
afterward (February 3, 1794,) there is no mention what- 
ever of the Dutch Language, and it is stipulated that he 
is to " Preach twice every Lord' s Day in the Church in 
Poughkeepsie in the English Language" ; from which it 
may be inferred that, in the brief intervening period, 
the displacement had become substantially comxdete. 

* See page 69. 



JFormation of the Second Reformed Churcli. 181^7. 109 

FORMATION OF THE SECOND REFORMED CHURCH. 

184T. 

The Second Reformed church was organized chiefly 
by members dismissed from the First Reformed church 
for that purpose. 

If was at first proposed that the two churches should 
be Collegiate ; that is, should constitute one church 
and ecclesiastical corporation, having one consistory, 
but with two congregations, and worshipping in two 
edifices. 

As the project matured this proposal was abandoned, 
and it was decided that the two churches should be 
separate organizations. The history as contained in the 
records of the First Reformed church, is substantially as 
follows : 

At a meeting of the consistory held August 2, 1847, it 
was '''■ Resolried, that in the opinion of this consistory, it 
is expedient now to make an effort towards building a 
new church." 

At the same meeting a committee was appointed ' ' to 
confer with members of the church and congregation, 
and others who are friendly to the object of building a 
Second Reformed Dutch church, and obtain their views 
and feelings on the subject, and that the said committee 
open a subscription for the purpose of ascertaining how 
much money can be raised for said purpose." 

The committee reported, August 26, 1847, that they 
had secured $7,150 ; whereupon it was " Resolved, that 
consistory, while they feel desirous of promoting the 
building of a new church, do not feel willing to take the 
responsibility of building a Collegiate church without 
the advice of the congregation." 

At a meeting of the congregation, duly called and held 
August 31st, 1847, it was ""Resolved, that in the opinion 
of this congregation, it is expedient and proper for the 



110 Hisior'i). 

consistory to adopt the necessary measures for the 
immediate erection of a Collegiate church." 

Notwithstanding this expression of opinion by the 
congregation, at the next meeting of the consistory 
(September 5, 1847), a resolution offered, "That in the 
judgment of this consistory it is expedient to build a 
Collegiate church," was decided in the negative. At 
the same meeting a committee was apjDointed to ' ' ascer- 
tain whether consistory have a right to give to a new Re- 
formed Dutch church any part of the property of this 
church, and also to confer with the subscribers for pews 
in the new church, to ascertain whether they, and which 
of them, will organize and build a new Reformed Dutch 
church." 

After hearing the reports of the committee, the con- 
sistory, September 16, 1847, resolved to convey the real 
estate lying west of the parsonage lot, "in trust, to use 
the same towards the building of a Second Reformed 
Dutch church in the village of Poughkeepsie, and for 
the support and maintenance of public worship therein, 
provided consistory have a legal right so to do." A 
committee was also appointed to make application to the 
Supreme Court for power to convey the said real estate. 

It was also resolved, that in case the court should de- 
cide that consistory had no legal right to convey, then 
' ' Consistory will lease the property for a term of nine 
hundred and ninety-nine years, at one dollar per year, to 
said new church, when duly organized and incorporated 
and the house of worship completed." 

The records in the office of the county clerk show that 
the property was conveyed November 10, 1847, under 
an order from the Supreme Court, and on condition that 
a church building should be erected within two years. 

At the meeting of consistory, November 2, 1847, Elder 
C. P. Adriance tendered his resignation of office, " with a 



formation of the Second Reformed Church. 181^,7. Ill 

view of connecting himself as an elder to build up a 
Second Reformed Dutcli church in this village," and 
his resignation was accej)ted, with expressions of min- 
gled regret for his departure, and approval of the step 
he had taken. At the same meeting, Charles P. Adri- 
ance, Abraham G. Storm, Joseph H. Jackson, James W. 
Bogardus, Caspar D. Smith and Albert Brett were dis- 
missed, ' ' for the purpose of enabling them to unite with 
others in the formation of the Second Reformed Dutch 
church in Poughkeepsie." 

At a special meeting of Classis, held in the church 
of Poughkeepsie on the evening of the same day, the 
action, as recorded in the minutes of Classis, was as fol- 
lows : 

The object of the meeting was stated by Rev. A. M. 
Mann, and an application presented for the organization 
of a Second Reformed Dutch church in the village of 
Poughkeepsie. The committee, consisting of Nathan 
Jewett, Tunis Brinkerhoff, and Joseph H. Jackson, who 
had been previously appointed by the congregation to 
make arrangement for securing this organization, pre- 
sented the names of Abraham Gr. Storms, Charles P. 
Adriance, Tunis Brinkerhoff and Joseph H. Jackson for 
elders, and James W. Bogardus, Caspar D. Smith, Albert 
Brett, and John P. Flagler for deacons, and requested 
that they be organized into a church as early as practic- 
able. Whereupon, after receiving their certificates of 
dismission, Classis 

Resolved, That the request be granted, and that we im- 
mediately proceed to effect the organization. 

Resolved, That Rev. F. M. Kip preach the sermon. Rev. 
A. Elmendorf read the form prescribed for ordaining 
elders and deacons, and that the Rev. A. M. Mann ad- 
dress the officers when ordained. All of which was 
attended to in accordance with the above resolution. 



112 History. 

The elders and deacons, having been thus ordained, 
were in a position to receive members from other 
churches, and the report of the First church to the 
Classis, April 5, 1850, shows that, in the preceding year, 
twenty-seven members had been dismissed from the First 
church, in order that they might connect themselves 
with the Second church. 

Thus the Second Church was established as a separate 
organization, but although separate organizations, the 
two churches have ever been closely united, not only by 
the ties of denominational communion, but also by those 
of fervent brotherly love. 

MISCELLANEA. 
Armen Kas and Armen Gelt. 
In the older records frequent mention is made of the 
"Armen Kas," which means, literally, the "Chest of 
the Poor." There are, however, no entries showing that 
money was ]3aid out of it for the poor ; and probably 
there was no need of such payment, for, although nearly 
all the people were in circumstances more or less 
straitened, they were able to support themselves, and 
self respect restrained even the poorest from seeking 
pecuniary aid from the church. Hence the Armen Kas 
came to be virtually the treasury of the church, and in 
that sense the term occurs constantly in the records. So, 
in like manner, the collections taken up from Sunday to 
Sunday are called the "Armen Gelt," signifying, liter- 
ally, "Money for the Poor," but, nevertheless, were 
evidently turned, for the most part, into the general treas- 
ury of the church. There is still preserved a little book 
containing the account of the "Armen Gelt," or collec- 
tions, from 1739 to 1741, and the following extracts from 
it are interesting, as showing the financial condition of 
the peojjle, and the manner of holding public service. 



Miscellanea. 113 

During these years the church was without a pastor, and 
it will be observed that it was only occasionally that the 
people had the privilege of hearing a sermon from a 
neighboring minister, and that, generally, the service was 
conducted by a Voorlezer (Fore Reader) chosen from 
among themselves. 

Anno. 1739, May de 31.— In presenties van de Kerickeraden 
Van Pockepsinck mett Namen Johannes Van Kleeck, onder- 
ling, Elias Van Beenschoten ouderling, Henry Vanderburgh 
Diakon, Johannes Tappen Diakon, Abraham De Graff Diakon, 
heben wy De Kass Geteld En Vonden Dare In de Some Van 
dree pont In Coper Geldt En Twe Schelings En Sixpence. 
^ £ 3-2-6 

An Sewant De Some van Darteen Schellingen en 

Negen Pence. . 0-13-9 

7 ranslation.— In presence of the consistory of Ponghkeepsie, 
named Johannes Van Kleeck, elder ; Elias Van Beenschoten, 
elder ; Henry Vanderburgh, deacon ; Johannes Tappen, 
deacon ; Abraham De Graff, deacon ; we have counted the 
chest, and found therein the sum of three pounds in copper 
monev, and two shillings and sixpence. . . £3-3-6 
In Sewant (wampum) the sum of thirteen shillings 

and nine pence 0-13-9 

Ano. 1739, Augustus de 5.— Sondagh en morghen yonge 
Bartolomeus Hoogeboom Versoght Voor Veur te Lassen, en 
ben Ick Rontgegan en Kreegh en het Sackie Tweentig pence 
half penny 0-1-8^ 

Translation.— 1739, August 5. Sunday morning, young 
Bartolomeus Hoogeboom requested to act as Voorlezer, and I 
went around and took in the bag twenty pence halfpenny. 

0-l-8i 

Ano. 1739, Augustus de 19.— Sondagh en morgen Mr. 
Vander Lyn Las Voor ; ben Ick om gegan en Kreeg Twe 
Schellengs en Twe pennys en Twe Stuffers. 0-2-2 

Translatmi.— 1739, August 19. Sunday morning, Mr. Van- 
derlyn Voorlezer ; I went about and took two shillings and two 
pennies and two stivers 0-2-2 

Ano. 1739, September de 9. Sondagh en morghen Mr. Van- 
der Lyn Las Voor ben Ick om gegan en Kreeg Drie Schellingen 
en five penns en en half penny - 3 - 5i 



114 History. 

Translation. — 1739, September 9. Sunday morning, Mr. 
Vander Lyn Voorlezer, I went about and took three shillings 
and five pennies and one half penny. . . , o - 3 - 5^ 

Ano. 1739, October de 14. Sondagh en morgen Johannes 
Eynders Las Voor ben Ick om gegan en Kreeg En Schelige en 
Twe pence half penny en 3 wetis 0-l-2i 

Translation. — 1739, October 14. Sunday morning, Johan- 
nes Eynders Voorlezer, I went about and took one shilling and 
two pence half penny and 3 (white wampum beads ?) - 1 - 2i 

Ano. 1739, November 4. Sondagh en morgen Johannes 
Eynders Las Voor ben Ick om gegan en Kreeg En Schelige en 
Drie pence half penny en seven wetyes. . . 0-1-31 

Translation. — 1739, November 4. Sunday morning, Johannis 
Eynders Voorlezer, I went about and took one shilling and three 
pence half penny and seven (white wampum beads ?) 0-1-31 

Ano. 1739, December de 2. Sondagh Johannes Vermanus 
Van Basten predichte gang Ick om en Kreeg five Schelinge in 
pennys en Ses en Twentigh half pennys en wy gaven de fife 
Schellingen an Domine Van Basten. . . . 0-1-1 

Translation. — 1739, December 2. Sunday Johannes Ver- 
manus Van Basten preached. I went about and took five shil- 
lings in pennies, and six and twenty half pennies, and we gave 
the five shillings to Domine Van Basten. . . 0-1-1 

Ano. 1739, December 23. Student Van Basten predichten. 
Ben Ick om gegan En Kreegh Twe Schelingen en Negen pence 
en fifeteen half pennys, maken samen De Soma Van Drie 
Schellingen En Drie pence halfpenny. . . 0-3 -3i 

Translation. — 1739, December 23. Student Van Basten 
preached. I went around and took two shillings and nine pence 
and fifteen half pennies, the same making the sum of three 
shillings and three pence half penny. . . 0-3 -3i 

Ano. 1740, March ye 2. Ben Ick om gegan en Kregh four- 
teen pence halfpenny. 0-1 -2i 

Translation. — 1740, March 2. I went about and took four- 
teen pence halfpenny - 1 - 2i 

Anno, 1740, May ye 8. Domine Vass Boout predicase op 
Dondedag. Ben Ick om gegan en Kreegh five Schelengen en 
Veerpence 0-5-4 

Translation. — 1740, May 8. Dominie Vas preached a peni- 
tential sermon (Preparatory lecture) on Thursday. I went 
about and took five shillings and four pence. . 0-5-4 



Miscellanea. 115 

The foregoing extracts from August 5, 1739, to May 8, 
1740, are in the order in which they occur in the Armen 
Gelt book, and are all that are in the book for that 
period. The Record of Baptisms (in another book) shows 
that on the.day following the penitential sermon above 
mentioned, ^(May 9, 1750,) Domine Vas baptized twenty- 
six children. After that date there is in the Armen 
Gelt book no mention of preaching again until October 
8, 1740, when the following occurs : 

Ano. 1740, October ye 8. Domine Vas predickte En wy 
Kereck Eaden betalde hem fiftigh Schellingen Voor Syn dienst 
En Dare Resterde Ses Schellingen en Five pennys half pennys. 

0-6-2i 

Translation. — 1740.. October 8. Domine Vas preached, and 
we, the consistory, paid him fifty shillings for his service, and 
there remained six shillings and two pence half penny. 0-6-2^ 

Correspondingly, in the Record of Baptisms, there are 
no entries again until October 8, 1740, when nine 
children were baptised. It must be inferred that during 
the five months intervening, no neighboring minister 
preached in the Church, and the only services were those 
conducted by the Yoorlezer. 

Palls. 

The records show that, soon after its organization, the 
the church owned two palls, one large, (Dood Kleed,) 
for grown persons, and one small, (Kleine Dood Kleed,) 
for children, and that the church was paid for their use 
at funerals. The following are some of the entries bear- 
ing on this subject : 

Dutchess County, June ye 4th, Ano. 1739. 
Then Received from Henry Vanderbnrgh, Decon of the 
Church of Pockepsinck, the Sum of Twelve Shillings, and 
Thirty Two Shillings and Six pence formerly Received of 
Hendrick pells, which is In full for a Black Cloath ; to Bury 
the Dead ; I Say Received In full per me. 

Fka" Filkins. 



116 History. 

In 1741 there is a charge of one shilling and sixpence 
for the use of the little pall, (cline clet,) and from 1741 
to 1747 there are several charges of three shillings for the 
use of the large pall. Mr. Jonathan Pearson, in his 
history of the church in Schenectady, says that, in that 
church, the charge for the use of the large pall was three 
shillings, and for the use of the little pall, one shilling 
and sixpence. The foregoing citations show that the 
charges in Poughkeepsie were the same, and it may be 
inferred that these were the customary charges through- 
out an extensive region. 

Subscribers for Call to Holland. 

It has already been stated that the call, which was 
sent to Holland in 1744, was accompanied by a sum of 
money, for the payment of the minister's passage to this 
country. It appears, from various bills and receipts, 
that this money was advanced by Mr. Joris Brinkerhoff, 
of New York, and was repaid in small installments, and 
that the last installment was not paid until 1753. 

Meanwhile efforts were in progress to procure the 
money, as appears from the following : 

Augt den 7 dagh Anno 1745, dan hebben wey de name van 
de Lest van die die Beloft hebben an et beroep dat na hollandt 
is voor een domini. 

Translation. — Aug. 7, 1745, then have we the names of the 
list of those who have promised for the call to Holland for a 
minister. 

Inasmuch as most of the earlier records of the county 
were destroyed in the burning of the Court House, in 
1785, the list of subscribers is here given, as being 
probably one of the most complete lists now extant, of 
the heads of families then residing in this portion of the 
county. It is as follows : 



Miscellanea. 



117 



Lewis Dubois, . . . 
Geisbort Pele, . . . 
William Sifer, . . . 
Markus Van Boml, 
Jacobus V Boml, . . 
Samuel Mettus, . . . 
.Teams Luckey, . . 
Cristopel Van Boml, , 
Francis Jacobs, 
Piter Lassing, . . . 
Dollif Swartwout, 
Thomas Sanders, 
Henry Wilson, . . 
William V Viet, . . 
Matthew Van Kurren, 
John Littel, .... 
Cornelus Arsen, . 
Johanis V Benthussen, 
Henry Levingston, . 
John Canklen, . 
Piter Windevort, . . 
Abraham Freer, Jun., 
JacobusVandenBogert, 
Borth : Noxon, . . . 
John Mecferling, . . 
Jeams Mecgorog, . 
Jeams Lechal, . . 
Piter Van Kleck, . . 
Johannis Swartwout, 
Hannis Van Kleeck, . 
Jacobus Van Kleeck, 
Simon Freer, . . . 
Mateues Kep, . . . 
Henry Vandrburgh, . 
Rechard Vandrburgh, 
Barnardus Swartwout, 
Jannatie Doyo, 
Magil Palmetie, Jun., 
Jeams Aggemody, 
Piter Palmetir, . . 
Mindert Palmetir, 
Piter Palmetir, Jun., 
Jacobus Palmetir, , 



£ s d 
10 

. 16 
10 

. 10 
5 



6 
5 
9 
3 









2 
10 
4 
8 
10 
10 
2 
6 
8 
10 
13 
4 
10 
15 
5 




6 
3 
6 
8 
8 



15 







4 
16 
5 
16 

8 

9 
1 6 
8 
6 



£ s d 



13 
3 
3 
3 



Johannis Palmetir, . 
Frances Hegeman, . 
Hendrick Hegeman, . 
Barent Band, ... 
Magil Pels, .... 
Mosas Degraef, . . 
Baltus Kep, .... 
Lendert Lewis, . . 
Cornelus V d bogert, . 
Lawerens Gerbrands, 
Anthony Jelverton, . 
John Gay, .... 
Boudewin Lakounta, . 
John Tenbrock, . . 
Hendrick Osterom, . 
Mindert V d bogert, . 
JacobusV d bogert, Jun., 
Piter Van debogert, . 
Nensi Wittenton, . . 
Ellixzander Grigx, . 
Joris Cock, .... 
Johnis Bogert, . . 
Jacob Low, .... 
Elias V Bontschoten, 

Jun., 

Elias Van Bontschoten, 
Francis Laroy, . . 
Tunnis Van Vlit, . . 
Bengamen Pele, . . 
Anderis Pele, ... 
Piter V d burgh, . . 
John Van den burgh, . 
Augustinus Turck, . 
Joseph Herris, ... 
Johannis Tapin, . . 1 
Isack Cromel, ... 
Henry V d bu rgh, Jun . , 
Johannis Lewis, ... 
Eobert Kidny, . . 
Elisabet Kep, ... 
Hendrick Pels, . . 
Evert Pels, .... 
Francis Filkin, . . 1 




6 







12 



4 

4 

12 

16 

8 

9 
3 
3 

3 

6 

2 6 

4 
8 

3 
15 
10 

7 
2 
2 

2 

4 

8 
6 


3 
6 
6 
8 
2 
8 

10 




118 



History. 





£ 


5 


d 




£ 


s d 


John Mexfild, . . 


. 


6 





Denie Eelye, . . . 


. 


3 


Thomas Lewis, . . 





6 





Joseph Gonsallusdock, 





5 


John d Graef, . . 


. 


3 





Zagharias Vlegelar, 


. 


5 


Jacobus Stoutenburgh 


,0 


12 





Barent Lewis, . . . 





15 


John Emens, . . 


. 


5 





Mosas Ver Veelen, . 


. 


13 


Barrent V Kleck, 





18 





Gidiyon Vr Veelen, . 





6 


Lowerens V Kleck, 


. 1 








Johannis Euger, 


. 


12 


ArryVVlet, . . . 





10 





Ezegil Hasten, . . 





12 


Swerris V Kleck, . 


. 


10 





Simon Pels, . . . 


. 


10 


Abraham de Graef, . 





18 





Mannul Gonsallusdock 


,0 


3 


Isack Hegeman, 


. 


10 





Joseph Hegeman, . 


. 


8 


Baltus Van Kleck, . 





11 





Isack Filkin, . . . 





12 


Cornelus Vr Wiye, . 


. 


3 





Simon AHegelar, 


. 


8 


Abraham Swartwout, 





9 





Henry Filkin, . . . 





10 


Abraham Provort, . 


. 


4 





Stipen Crego, . . 


. 


5 


William Grigx, . . 





4 





Henry Smith, . . . 





6 


Johannis Buis, Jnn.. 


. 


3 





Isack Germon, . . 


. 


3 


Gerret Daveds, . . 





4 





George Elsewort, Jun. 


,0 


5 


Jacob Van Wagene, 


. 


8 





George Elsewort, . 
Hendrick Thomas, . 


. 


10 


John Grin, .... 





2 








2 


Daved Daveds, . . 


. 


4 





Art Masten, . . . 


. 


4 6 


Harmanis Einderse 


7 






Barent Kep, . . . 





2 


Jun., 





13 





Cornelus Masten, . 


. 


5 


Simon Laroy, . . 





10 





Mindert Vilen, . . 





11 


Ilarman Einderse, 





3 





William Herris, . . 


. 


10 


Matthaus Dubous, . 





14 





William Freer, . . 





6 


Gidiyon dubois, . . 





8 


William Smith, . . 


. 


8 


Jerimiya dubois. 





8 





Arry Cool, .... 





6 


Eferom dubois, . . 





6 





Bortho : Crennel, . 





10 


Johannis Einderse, 





10 





John Laroy, . . . 





8 


Jan Osterom, . . . 





7 





Thomas Voos, . . 





9 


Eollif Ostrom, . . 





11 





Elizabeth Lewis, . . 





8 


Daved Eelye, . . . 





3 





Piter Heiyer, . . 





6 


Gerret Van Wagene, 





4 





Hendrick Kep, . . 





6 


Nicklas Van Wagene. 





7 





Frans Cool, . . . 





6 


Hendrick Lot, . . 





10 





Bengemen Bertlit, . 





6 


Hendrick Hegeman, . 





10 





Jacob Schouten, 





3 


Jan Hegeman, . . 





9 





Borth : Hogeboom, . 





3 


Jacobes Schut, . . 





7 





Jacob Dolsen, . . 





6 


Baltus Jo^ Van Kleck, 





7 





Abraham Dolsen, . . 





8 


Baltus L^ Van Kleck, 





6 





Gaberel Werit, . . . 





4 


Jan Meckinni, . . . 





4 





Johannis Buis, , . 





8 


Lendert Van Kleck, . 





4 





Hendrick Bertlit, • . 





5 





Miscellanea. 




119 




£ 


s d 




£ 


s d 


Jacob Scherpenston, . 





4 


John Van Dormaln, 


. 


3 


Hendrick Boos, . . 


. 


4 


Moses, son of Abraham 




Piter V Campen, . . 





6 


Degroff, . . . 


. 


5 


Jan Van Campen, . 


. 


6 


Cornelius Vealy, . 


. 


3 


Abraham fontin, . . 





5 


John Edwards, . . 


. 


4 


Sander Brouwer, 


. 


6 


Lawrence Belong, 


. 


G 


Damen Palmetir, . . 





10 


Peter Laroy, . . . 


. 


5 


Piter Vilen, . . . 


. 


12 


Ragel Swartwout, 


. 


5 


MosasBengenienFranks,0 


5 9 


Phillip Harmensen, 


. 


3 


Kasparis Westervelt, 


. 


15 


Johannis Davitson, 


. 


4 


Cornelius Osborn, 





5 


Jan Oasstrom, (son 


of 




Frans Hageman, . 


. 


5 


Hendrick), . . 


. 


2 


Cliarles Doughty, 





5 


Myndert Vandeboga 


rt, 




Seimon Frayer, Jun% 


. 


4 


(son of Frans), . 


. 


6 


Andres Suuck, . . 





3 


Petrus Low, . . . 


. 


2 


Oathenah Stenbergh, 


. 


1 6 









FiKST Things. 

First Baptism. 
The names of the first elders and deacons have already 
been given. On the day on which they were installed 
(October 10, 1716), the minister who installed them, 
Rev. Petrus Vas, of Kingston, baptized Marytjen, 
daughter of Frans Be Lange and Marytjen Van Schaak, 
in the presence of Johannes Van Kleek and Aaltjen ter 
Bos, as witnesses. This is the first baptism recorded in 
the church book. 

First Marriage. 

The first marriage record bears date thirty years later. 
During all those years, the church was without a pastor, 
with the exception of the brief period (1731-3) covered 
by the pastorate of Dominie Van Schie. The records of 
both baptisms and marriages by him, during that brief 
period, have been lost. For the rest of the thirty years, 
the record of baptisms is nearly continuous. Mothers, 
being unable to travel, with their babes, through the 



120 History, 

forest to the minister at New Paltz or Kingston, waited 
for the minister to come from Kingston or New Paltz to 
Poughkeepsie, and, consequently, the baptisms took place 
at Poughkeepsie, and were recorded in the book of the 
church of Poughkeepsie. But, for the same years, there 
is no record of marriages in the book of the church of 
Poughkeepsie, and the j)resumption is, that those of the 
Poughkeepsie congregation who wished to be married, 
went for that purpose to the minister of some one of the 
neighboring churches, and that the marriages are record- 
ed in the books of those churches. 

The first record of marriage in the church book of 
Poughkeepsie is in the handwriting of the second pastor, 
Benjamin Meynema, and is as follows : 

Register der getrouwde Perzonen na 3 afroepinge : 

Ao. 1746, d. 31 January, zyn hnwelyks geboden aangete- 
kent van Petrus Freer jongman geboren in de Palts en Cornelia 
Oostrum jonge dogter geboren in Pakeepsie, en beyde woonag- 
tig aldaar, en syn getrouwt de 25. Febr. 1746. 

Iranslation. — Register of persons married after three publish- 
ments : 

Anno 1746, January 31, were registered the marriage banns 
of Petrus Freer, bachelor, born in the Paltz, and Cornelia 
Oostrum, spinster, born in Poughkeepsie^ and both there resid- 
ing, and were married, February 25, 1746. 

First Iteceiptfor Salary. 

Among the loose papers preserved are receipts for 
salary, in the handwriting of all the early pastors. One, 
in the handwriting of the first pastor, Cornelius Van 
Schie, is as follows : 

Ik ondergeschreven bekenne uyt handen van de E. Kerken- 
raadt op Pakeepsie ontfangen te hebben voor de waarneming 
van myn dienst aklaar de somma van seventien ponden en tien 
schellingen Nieuw York gelt ter afbetaling van myn half jaar 



Miscellanea. 121 

tractement t welk verschenen was de negende December, Anno 
seventien hondert twe en dertigh. 

Pakeepsie, den 25, Corn. Van Schie, 

Jany, Anno 1732-3. , F. D. M. ibidem. 

item 15 schell. 
voor paarde voer. 

Translation. — I, the imderigned, acknowledge to hare re- 
ceived from the hands of the Rev. Consistory of Poughkeepsie, for 
the performance of my ministry there, the sum of seventeen 
pounds and ten shillings. New York money, in payment of my 
half year's salary, which was due the ninth of December, 
Anno seventeen hundred and thirty-two. 

Poughkeepsie, Corn. Van Schie, 

January 25, 1732-3. Minister of the Word of God there. 

item, 15 shillings 
for horse feed. 

In the call which was accepted by Dominie Van Schie, 
the salary promised was seventy pounds a year, and 
three pounds additional for horse feed, one-half to be 
paid by the church of Poughkeepsie, and the other half 
by the church of FishkiU ; and consequently the sums 
specified in the foregoing receipt were precisely those 
which were due from the church of Poughkeepsie for 
the half year. 

Seats in the First Edifice. 

It has already been stated, that the seats in the first 
edifice for worship were assigned by the church masters, 
in August, 1723. The following is given as a fair speci- 
men of the assignments : 

Peter Palmetier— 1 seat in No. 1 for himself, . . 36-0 
2 seats in No. 3 for his wife and daughter, . . 50-0 
1 seat in No. 8 for Michael Palmatier, . . . 30-0 
1 seat in No. 6 for Myndert Palmatier, . . . 30-0 
1 seat in No. 12 for Elizabeth Palmatier, . . 19-0 
The prices are in guilders, each one being equal in 
value to a New York shilling. The highest price marked 



122 History, 

for a single seat is 36 guilders ($4.50), and the lowest 
price is 19 guilders ($2.37i). 

From the extract given above, it is evident that the 
members of the family did not sit together ; but were 
distributed to no less than five separate pews ; and this 
seems to have been the case with the majority of fam- 
ilies. It does not appear, however, from the record, that 
the men and women were separated, for there are a few 
cases in which a pew is assigned to a man and his family, 
and there are many cases in which seats in the same pew 
are assigned to both men and women of different fam- 
ilies. 

Deed Conveying First Property. 

The following is a copy of the deed conveying the land 
on which the first edifice for worship was built : 

To ALL Ceistiak People To whom these presents Shall 
or May Come Greeting Know Ye That I Jacobes Van Den 
Bogert of Dutches County in the Colonia of New York Yoman 
for and in Concederation of Divers good Causes and valuable 
Consederations by Me Eecevid of Cap't Barendt Van Kleeck, 
Mr. Myndert Van Den Bogert Mr. Pieter fielee and Mr. 
Johannes Van Kleeck All yomen in the above said County 
the Recep^t whereof I Do hierby acknowlidge And therewith 
fully satisfied and Contentid and thereof and of every paert 
And parcell thereof Do Exonerate aquitt and dischaerge the S*^ 
Barendt Van Kleeck Myndert Van Den Bogert pieter lielee and 
Johannes Van Kleeck there heirs Executors and Administrators 
for Ever by these presents Have giveing grantid bargained sould 
Alinenatid Convaied Confurmed and by these presents Do freely 
fully and absolutly give graent bargain Sell Alline Convey 
and Confurm unto the said Barendt Van Kleeck Myndert Van 
Den Bogert pieter fielee and Johannes Van Kleeck there heirs 
and assigns foreEver one Cartaine pies or Lott of ground 
Scituated Lyieng and being in pochkepseng in the afore said 
County, butted and Boundett Vz on the Nort Sid to the Rood 
that Runs to the Eastard to the forsaid Cap't Barendt Van 
Kleecks and on the west along the Rood that Runs to the Sout 
to Mr. Jonar La Roy's to the Sout and to the East to the Land 



Miscellanea, 123 

of the Said Jacobes Van Den bogert it beieng a Corner Lott and 
in Lengbt one hunderid and fifty foot and in breth one hnn- 
derid and fifty foot beieng a four squaer Lodt To Have and to 
HouLD the said grantid and bargained premoses with all the 
appurtenances and prevoleges and Commoditis to_ the same 
belongeng or in any wise aportaneng To them the said Barendt 
Van kleeck Myndert Van Den Bogert pieter fielee and Johannes 
Van Kleeck there heirs and assigns for Ever For the Proper 
And onely use benefitt and behoof of the Inhabatance and 
Naberhod of pochkepsen afore said to bild and maentaen a 
proper Mieteng hous to worship the one and onely Thrieeonely 
God Acording to the Ruels and Methods as it is agried and 
Concludett by the Sinode National kept at Dordreght in the 
Year 1618 and 1619 and that in the ISTeder Dutch Lingoo and 
manner as it is now used by the Classes and Church of Amster- 
dam with the benefitt of the Mietenhous yaerd for a Bureall 
place of Christian Corps to the same belongeng with all the 
benefits and behoef for Ever and I the said Jacobes Van Den 
Bogert for mee my heirs exekutors and adm'rs do Covonent 
promes to and wid the said Barendt Van kleeck Myndert Van 
Den Bogert pieter fielee & Johannes van kleeck there heirs and 
assignes that before the ensealeng heir of I am the true soul 
and Lawfull owner of the above bargained and grantid premoses 
and am Lawfully seized and posesed of the same in my one 
proper Right As a good perfeckt and absolute estate of En- 
haretance and have In my Self good Right full pouer and 
Lawful autorety to graent bargain Sell Convey and Confurm 
the Said bargained and grantid premises in a manner as above 
Said and that the S'^ Barendt Van kleeck Myndert Van Den 
Bogert pieter fielee & Johannes Van kleeck there heirs and 
assignes Shall and may from time to time and at all times for 
Ever hier after for the use afore Said by vertue of these presents 
Lawfully peaceably and quiatly have hould use occupy possess 
and in Joy the said Demised and bargained premoses with the 
appurtenances free and Clier and freely and acquitted Exon- 
erated and Dischaerge of and from all and allmanner of former 
gifts graents bargaeins Seals Leases Mortguages wills Entaeils 
joynters Dowries Judgements Executions incumbrances 
Troubles whatso Ever and I the said Jacobes Van Den 
Bogert Do further bind my Self my heirs Exekutors and Ad- 
monestrators furmly by these presents to warrent and Defend 
the S"* Barendt Van kleeck Myndert Van Den Bogert pieter 
fielee & Johannes Van kleeck there heirs and assignes in quiatt 
and peasable possession of all and Singular the S*^ granted 



124 History. 

premoses aginst all Lawful Claim of any parson or parsons by 
from or under mee In wittness whereof I the S"^ Jacobes Van 
Den Bogert have hier unto sett my hand and Seall this 26 Day 
of Desember in the year 1716. 

Sined Selied and 

Delivered In the Jacobes Van Den Bogert. 

Presents of US [seal.] 

Barendt nukerck. 

Matijs ven Stenbergh. 

DuTCHis County, May the 6 Annog Domney 1718. 
Then appereth before me Leonard Lewis one of his Magis- 
tyes Gusteses of the Peace Mr. Jacobes Van Den Bogert and 
declareth this within Enstrument which he has Signed Sealled 
and Delivered to be his Volentary act and deed. 

Leonard Lewis. 

This Transport is Eecorded In Dutchis County the 20th day 
of August Anno Dom. 1718 In Pages 1 and 2 at Pochkepsing 
by Henry Van Derburgh Clark. 

CHRONOLOGICAL . CONSPECTUS. 
EVENTS. PASTORS. 

1716. Organization. 

1716. First Recorded Baptism 

1716. Deed of Jacobns Van de 

Bogart. 

1717. First edifice begun. No Pastor 
1723. First edifice finished till 1731. 

and seats assigned. 
1730. Union with Church of 

Fishkm. 
1730. First call sent to Hoi- Cornelius Van Schie, 

land. 1731-3. 

1732. First Parsonage built. 

1741. New roof and gallery No Pastor, 1733-45. 
for first edifice. Benjamin Meynema, 

1746. First recorded marriage 1745-56. 

Jacobus Van Nist, 
1760. Second edifice built. 1758-61. 

Henricus Schoonmaker, 
1763-74. 



Clironological Conspectus. 



125 



1774. Union with Fishkill 
dissolved. 



1789. Incorporation. 

1791 . Second Parsonage built. 
1793. Seal adopted. 

1793. Dutcli preaching only 

every third Lord's 
day. 

1794. Preaching all English. 

1822. Election of Elders and 
Deacons by male mem- 
bers of Church. 

1822. Third Edifice built. 

1825. Sunday School first 
mentioned, but men- 
tioned as previously 
existing. 

1835. D. R. Thompson, Super- 
intendent of Sunday 
School. 

1844. Third Parsonage built. 

1847. Second Reformed 
Church of Pough- 
keepsie formed. 

1854. Third Edifice renovated. 

1857. Third Edifice destroyed 
by fire. 

1857. Fourth Edifice built. 

1863. John H. Mathews, Su- 
perintendent of Sun- 
day School. 



Isaac Rysdyck, 

1765-72. 

(Two Pastors for seven 

years.) 

Stephen Van Yoorhis, 

1773-6. 

Solomon Froeligh, 

1776-80. 

John H. Livingston, 

1781-3. 

No Pastor. 

1783-90. 

Andrew Gray, 

1790-4. 



Cornelius Brouwer, 

1794-1808. 

Cornelius C. Cuyler» 

1809-33. 



Samuel A. YanYranken, 
1834-7. 



Alexander M. Mann, 
1838-57. 



George M. McEckron^ 

1858-67. 



126 History. 

1871. Election of officers by all A. P. Yan Gieson, 

the members of 1867-. 

Church. 

1876. Henry S. Jewett, Super- 
intendent of Sunday 
School. 

1876. Milton A. Fowler, Su- 
perintendent of Sun- 
day School. 

1878. Spire taken down. 

1887. Interior renovated. 

1891. Election of officers by all 
members of Church of 
age of eighteen or 
over. 



PRESENT ORGANIZATION. 



The present organization of the Church is as follows, viz : 

CONSISTORY. 
Pastor — Kev. A. P. Van Gieson. 
Elders. Deacons. 

David C. Foster, Charles D. Johnson, 

Daniel R. Thompson, Chester A. George, 

Milton A. Fowler, James M. Hadden, 

Charles C. More, George W. Polk, 

Marvin 0. Diitton, Henry E. Losey, • 

John W. Pelton, Charles R. Dickinson. 

Clerk, Milton A. Fowler. 

Treasurer, John W. Pelton. 

^, , ,^ , ( Charles D. Johnson, 

Church Masters i /^i ^ * /~i 

( Chester A. George. 

nr ■ ry '4* \ George W. Polk, 

MUSIC Committee, s,^ . r^ -r^ ., 

[ Marvin O. Dutton. 

T^. ^ ... i Charles C. More, 

Finance Committee, .... ^ ^t t^ t 

' I Henry E. Losey. 

SUNDAY SCHOOL. 

Superintendent, Milton A. Fowler. 

Assistant Supt., Chester A. George. 

Secretary, Leonard C. Miller. 

Librarian, Charles Klady. 

. . , , ^ ., . ( James E. Dickinson, 

Assistant Librarians, . . . \ ^^^.,,. 

' ( William R. Vail. 

Manager of Primary Department, 

Mrs. Josephine Pardee. 



128 Present Organization. 

YOUNG PEOPLE'S ALLIANCE. 

President, J. Elting Deyo. 

Vice-President, Nettie Wilson. 

Secretary, Carrie E. Betz, 

Treasurer, Edgar D. Van Nosdall. 

Membership, 111. 

LADIES' SOCIETY. 

President, Mrs. M. 0. Dutton. 

Vice-President, Mrs. M. A. Fowler. 

Treasurer, Mrs. E. E,. Williams. 

Secretary, Miss M. D. Van Gieson. 

MxecutiDe Committee. 

Mrs. Samuel H. Brown, Mrs. Jane H. Mandeville, 

Miss Nettie Farnum, Mrs. B. W. Van Wyck, 

Mrs. Samuel L. Dearin, Mrs. Smith L. De Garmo, 

Mrs. Warren S. Foster, Mrs. C. D. Johnson. 

Home Mission Committee. 

Mrs. Samuel H. Brown, 

Mrs. C. D. Johnson, 
Mrs. Smith L. De Garmo. 

FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC MISSIONARY SOCIETY. 

President, Mrs. Samuel W. Buck. 

Vice-President, Mrs. William A. Miles. 

Secretary, Mrs. Floy M. Johnston. 

Treasurer, Mrs. J. H. Mandeville. 

Cor. Sec, Mrs. J. R. Reynolds. 



liiii 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




014 109 589 4 






